Secrets Between Us
by LdyFcknNoir
Summary: Adrien and Marinette were inseparable... Until Marinette left for Milan. Now, she's on the run from an abusive husband hellbent on finding her to silence her forever. As she returns to Paris sooner than she planned, what will Adrien do once he's found out what she's done? Can they pick up the pieces of their former friendship in time? Or is all lost? Collab fic with QuantumChickPea
1. Best Of Friends

Marinette was a popular little girl. Caring, fun loving, and loyal, she never lacked for friends. But she only had one best friend. Alya Cesaire and Marinette Dupain-Cheng bonded on the first day of Pre-K, when Chloe Bourgeois tried to pour glue in Marinette's hair. Alya noticed at the last moment, and managed to knock the glue out of Chloe's hand. Naturally, Chloe screamed bloody murder and insisted Alya was trying to glue _her_ hair. Their teacher was able to see through her dramatic accusations though, choosing to relocate Chloe to the opposite end of the room, just to be safe. This cemented two very different relationships: the close friendship between Marinette and Alya, and the fierce rivalry between Marinette and Chloe. Yes, Marinette had only one best friend and she was content. That is, until Adrien Agreste shyly walked into her first grade classroom.

Adrien was a very lonely little boy. While he knew his parents loved him, he yearned for companionship. He had just one friend, Chloe Bourgeois, whose father dumped her off in Adrien's room at the Agreste mansion anytime he and Adrien's father, Gabriel, needed to meet to discuss event venues for Gabriel's fashion business. Since he didn't have any other friends to compare her to, he assumed that all kids their age were spoiled brats who whined if they weren't the center of attention all the time. After that first day playing with her, Adrien was exhausted and seriously questioning his desire to have more friends. But even with Chloe as his first and only friend, he still wanted more. All of the cartoons he watched on television featured groups of friends. Even his parents had a group of friends they entertained at least once a month after Adrien's bedtime (he knows because he may or may not have snuck out of his room on these occasions to pretend these people were _his_ friends too).

When Adrien was seven years old, he finally plucked up the courage to ask his mother how she met her friends.

"Mama?" He asked as he was getting ready for bed one night in June, "How did you find your friends? Did their Mom and Dad's know yours?"

Emilie Agreste paused, considering his question and trying to figure out where it had come from seeing as how they had just been engaged in an animated discussion about which book to read once Adrien was in bed.

"Well Kitten, yes and no. See, we all met in elementary school. As we grew closer, our parents decided to set up play dates, where we could play while the parents became friends too."

Adrien pondered this for a bit as he finished brushing his teeth and climbed into his bed. He reached for his stuffed black kitty his Mom had given him last year for his birthday and hugged it to his chest as he said, "Why don't I go to school, Mama? Am I not good enough for friends too?"

It was at this point that Emilie was finally able to see how lonely Adrien really was. Sure, she knew that his Father kept him far too sheltered. She had many arguments with Gabriel over Adrien's lack of social interactions with kids his own age. Each time, Gabriel would insist that Adrien had everything he needed and as such didn't require outside relationships that would distract him. He would end the discussion by returning to his work or changing the subject to what upcoming events still needed to be coordinated. She had thought that she was protecting Adrien from disappointment by spending as much time with him as possible, in the hopes that he would be content with her affections. It was a foolish thought, but it was all she could come up with. Now she felt the tell tale pricks of tears in her eyes as she heard the gaping loneliness in his voice. A loneliness no seven year old boy should have.

"Of course you are, Minou! Your Father has been determined to have you homeschooled by his assistant, Nathalie. However, if school with other children is what will make my little boy happy, then I will speak to your Father until he sees reason. But you might need to give me some time, okay?" She looked down into Adrien's eyes as they lit up.

"Really, Mama?! Thank you sooooooooo much!" The little boy all but bounced in his bed before suddenly stilling. "Mama! I'm not a little boy! I'm a BIG boy! A big boy that might get to go to school and make friends and have slumber parties like they do on the cartoons we watch and - "

"Slow down, little Kitten! I know you're excited, but its bedtime. Now, no more talk about this for now. Give me a chance to speak with your Father and I'll let you know what he says, as soon as he says it. Until then, it'll be our little secret, okay?" She leaned in close to Adrien with a finger to her lips and a big smile on her face. She pulled him in for a hug and a kiss before reaching for his favorite bedtime story. He snuggled up to his Mother, giving her a big squeeze around her middle, before closing his eyes to dream about what having friends would actually be like.

And that was how, roughly three months later, Adrien Agreste came to be standing in front of Marinette Dupain-Cheng's first grade class. He was both exhilarated and terrified to be there. He hadn't realized that he would be paraded to the front of the class. While he wasn't unfamiliar with the eyes of many people upon him due to Gabriel's insistence he learn how to model the Agreste brand, it felt strangely more intimate because these were people _his_ age. These weren't nameless faces in a crowd, at least, he hoped they wouldn't be for much longer. He only saw one critiquing set of eyes, belonging to Chloe no less. Every other pair was glued to his face with excitement. One girl with midnight hair that almost looked blue, worn in pigtails, was openly smiling at him with such warmth he felt it spread across his cheeks. She was looking at him like they had known each other all their lives, which was odd because he _felt_ like he had known her all his life. Even though he'd never seen her before this moment. What an odd feeling. Breaking the gaze with the smiling girl, he suddenly remembered that he was supposed to be saying his name, age, and what he wanted to learn this year.

"My name is Adrien Agreste. I am seven years old, and I would love to learn how to make friends this year." He gave a small wave and ducked his head before falling silent once more. He hoped that he would be able to sit down soon.

"Thank you so much for joining us, Adrien. Please go ahead and take your seat next to Nino. Nino, please raise your hand so that Adrien knows where to go." Mme. Brielle lightly ruffled Adrien's blonde hair as she smiled down at him. Adrien gladly retreated towards the second table towards the back of the classroom, where Nino was turned around in his seat excitedly waving his hand around. That's when it hit him: the pigtailed girl was sitting across from Nino. Next to her was a girl with long brown hair, black glasses, and a mischievous smile. He approached the table with a smile that shone down on all of them, but his eyes were trained on the girl with the bluest eyes he had ever seen.

He slid into the seat next to Nino and turned to him in greeting but was interrupted by Nino's enthusiastic "My dude! So glad you're sitting with me, now the force is balanced once again."

At this comment, he pointed first at Alya, then at Marinette. Adrien didn't have a clue what that meant, which must've shown on his face because the girl with glasses started laughing before saying, "Nino, don't break our new bestie!" She turned back to Adrien still smiling, "What Nino means is that he's glad you're a boy and not another girl. Chloe sat with us for three days and Nino's head almost exploded. By the way, my name is Alya. This here," she threw an arm around Marinette's shoulders and squeezed her close, "is my best friend, Marinette. Trust me, you're gonna love sitting at our table. Especially during…."

Adrien distantly registered that Alya was still talking, but his entire being was now focused on Marinette. He felt a pull towards her that he didn't have words for. The only thing he knew was that this girl was going to be a very big part of his life. And he wanted to get started down that path right away. He gazed at her with a quiet intensity that he was only slightly surprised to notice her returning before leaning across towards her and whispering, "Hello Marinette. I have a feeling me and you are going to be the best of friends. Is that okay with you? I know Alya said she's your best friend, but I'm hoping you'll have room for me too." Marinette's eyes went wide for a moment before she softly giggled and leaned towards him to whisper back, "You seem pretty sure of yourself, Adrien Agreste. I like that. So, I'll tell you a secret: I feel like we already _are_ the best of friends. If that's okay with you, it's okay with me."

Adrien's answering smile was nearly blinding.


	2. The First Meeting

The more Adrien gushed about Marinette to his parents, the surlier his father acted and the more curious his mother became. Finally, Emilie decided it was past time to meet her parents officially. When she brought this up to Gabriel, she was greeted with silence. So this was how she found herself outside of the Tom and Sabine Boulangerie and Patisserie owned by Marinette's parents, Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng, one cold December evening. Since people could be rather put off by both her husbands demeanor and their cold mansion, she decided it would be better to approach them under more normal circumstances. She had sent a note with Adrien to school a few days before Christmas break, asking Marinette and her parents to allow her a chance to meet the amazing girl Adrien constantly raved about (earning her a glare and a deep blush from Adrien once he realized what the note said). To her intense surprise, it took Marinette's parents less than 6 hours to respond with an invitation to dinner at the Bakery for the following evening. She briefly considered forcing her husband to accompany them like an _actual_ family, before she determined that would only serve to embarrass herself and Adrien, as well as make Marinette's parents uncomfortable. Besides, he had shown nothing but contempt towards them regarding Adrien's desire for friendship and socialization. All in all, it would've been a bad decision to include him in every regard.

Emilie walked into the bakery with Adrien's hand in hers. He smiled and hummed happily beside her, as she softly laughed. "You're silly."

Adrien giggled and gave her a bigger grin, before they walked inside of the bakery.

The bakery wasn't too busy, since it was getting close to closing time. Sabine was exchanging money with the last of the customers, before closing up.

"Bonsoir. My name is Emilie and this is my son." Emilie gently pushed Adrien forward.

He held his hands behind his back and wrung his fingers together, as he twisted the toe of his tennis shoe into the ground. "Adrien, Adrien Agreste." He peered up at her with the biggest and brightest green eyes Sabine had ever seen.

"Bonsoir, Emilie and Adrien." Sabine gently smiled at them.

Tom came walking from behind the baking counter, wiping flour from his hands on a white kitchen towel. "Bonsoir. My name is Tom, this is my wife, Sabine, and this…" He went to gesture to his daughter, when she suddenly burst in with excitement.

"Adrien's here!" Marinette came running from behind the baking area. She skidded to a stop, as Adrien's eyes lit up at the sight of her.

"Bonsoir, Marinette." Adrien rocked on his heels with a grin.

"Come on! I want to show you my toys!" Marinette took his hand and Adrien looked up at his mother.

"You can go." Emilie smiled at him and he looked at her like she was his whole world.

"Thank you, Mother." Adrien was suddenly yanked through the back of the bakery and up a long staircase.

Sabine covered her mouth with her hand and giggled at the two energetic kids. "They really like each other, don't they?"

"Guess so. Marinette is all I hear about these days." Emilie touched the strap of her purse with a smile.

"I'll close up the bakery. Why don't you two go up and have some tea, before we have dinner?" Tom walked past them and began to flip the sign to closed, as the last customers left.

"Sounds good. Would you like some tea?" Sabine warmly smiled at Emilie.

"I would love some tea. Thank you." Emilie smiled and followed Sabine through the back of the bakery and up the stairs.

"We've lived here for quite some time. We always wanted to open a bakery and when this space opened up… we couldn't refuse. We made an offer right away and here we are." Sabine opened their apartment door.

She could hear the two kids footsteps followed by giggles above them. "They must be in Marinette's room." Sabine softly laughed and Emilie joined in.

"Marinette seems like a very sweet girl. From what I've heard anyway. My son seems to think very highly of her." Emilie sat down at the kitchen table and set her purse beside her.

"She is. She's a very creative girl too. Marinette likes to pick out her own outfits and sometimes she pairs them with accessories that she makes from little trinkets she finds. She usually picks them up along the way from where ever we go." Sabine laughed at all of the times that Marinette had begged to bring random bits and pieces home from places they would walk. "She could never just leave stuff that she thought she could use for something. Tom's pockets would get full sometimes with rocks, bottle caps, beads, keys, really anything she could find on the sidewalk or at the park."

"She sounds wonderful. She reminds me of when I was a little girl. I always loved fashion. Something about it intrigued me." Emilie giggled, as Sabine set a warm cup of tea in front of her.

Marinette came running down the stairs with a sword and Adrien came running down after her.

"You'll never catch me!" Marinette swung her sword around.

"That's where you're wrong! I am clawesome and will defeat you!" Adrien swung his sword against hers and they giggled, as they sword fought across the family room.

"Be careful you two!" Sabine called out and laughed quietly behind her hand.

"Yeah, I don't want to have to take you to the hospital today. Your father wouldn't have it." Emilie smiled at the two giggling kids.

"I have you now!" Adrien had her cornered near a bookshelf.

Marinette giggled and poked him in the side, causing him to giggle and bring his arms in. She slipped past him and stuck her tongue out at him. "I win! Who's clawesome now?!"

"Hey…" Adrien laughed and chased after her.

Tom walked in, as the kids ran past him. "Woah!" He jumped out of the way and watched them run up the stairs. "They seem to be having fun."

"They really do seem to get along well together." Emilie giggled at the loud thumps coming from above them.

"So, what is Adrien into?" Sabine brought the warm cup of tea to her lips.

"He's really into learning about anything really. He asks a lot of questions about anything from the sky to how a car works. He also really loves video games, specifically, Ultimate Mecha Strike." Emilie took a sip of her tea.

"You have that game?!" Adrien's voice carried down the stairs.

"Yeah, come on! It's downstairs. I play with my papa all the time!" Marinette yanked him down the stairs by his hand. All of the adults watched as Marinette pulled him to the couch before turning the television on. She set up the console and put the Ultimate Mecha Strike game into the machine. Tom smiled at them, before he sat down on the couch to watch them play.

"I see she plays too?" Emilie giggled at the two kids, as they picked their characters.

"Every night with Tom." Sabine hummed and smiled with her eyes closed, as she brought her lips to the edge of her cup.

"I try to play, but I can never figure out the controls." Emilie laughed at the memory of all of the nights Adrien had begged her to play with him before deciding he liked her better watching.

"Neither can I." Sabine giggled along with her before returning her attention to the kids.

Adrien stuck his tongue out of his mouth and picked the black cat. "I always pick the black cat robot. He's awesome!"

"I always pick the ladybug one." Marinette smiled over at him. Tom chuckled at the two kids, as Marinette pressed start.

'Round One, Fight!' spilled from the screen and Marinette calmly began to push different combinations on the video game controller. Adrien focused on trying to win against her. He furrowed his brow and pressed the buttons hard, as he tried to get up from a six streak combo from Marinette.

"You're so good at this." Adrien looked at the screen in shock, as Marinette won in under thirty seconds flat.

She peered over at him with a giant smile. "Thanks, Adrien."

Adrien blushed and smiled at her in return. "You're welcome. But I'll win next time."

Marinette giggled, as 'Round Two, Fight!' poured from the speakers of the television.

Tom watched the two fight. He watched Adrien struggle slightly against his daughter and noticed what he was doing wrong. He warmly smiled towards the boy and got up off of the couch. He sat down next to Adrien and showed him how to sufficiently hold the controller to gain more control. "Now, you want to push top and circle." Tom talked him through his combo. Adrien smiled and peered over at Tom with sparkling eyes. He wished that his father would play games with him and show him how to perfect combos too. But all he had was his stuffed animals and toy cars to play with and talk to at home, besides his mother.

Adrien pushed up and left, knocking Marinette's character onto her back.

"Good, now right and triangle." Tom instructed him and Adrien knocked Marinette's character out, winning the round.

"Not fair… Papa helped you…" Marinette pouted and crossed her arms.

Tom moved to sit beside his daughter and ruffled her hair with his hand. He kissed her on the head. "And now I'll help you this round, sweetheart."

Marinette giggled and Tom guided her through it as promised. Adrien focused on the game and used what Tom had taught him. Both of the character's health bars were equal with one hit to spare.

"Wow, they're really close now." Sabine covered her mouth in shock and Emilie turned to watch the two children. Tom got up off of the floor and stood behind the two kids to watch. Marinette watched her power bar build up as Adrien's did too. She glanced over at him with a sweet smile, before pushing the button to set off her secret power move. But Adrien beat her to it. The screen burst out into flashing lights, as the screen changed and his black cat leapt and scratch-attacked her bug.

"OHHHH!" Tom called out with his arms in the air, as the cat robot took out the ladybug one.

"I'll win next time." Marinette giggled and held out her hand into a fist. Adrien blankly looked at her fist, before she smiled at him. "Hold out your fist like this." Marinette sweetly spoke and Adrien awkwardly held his out.

"Pound it!" Marinette giggled and knocked her fist against his. His confused expression became excited and he laughed with all of his heart.

"Awww…" Sabine, Tom, and Emilie sighed in unison at the two kids.

"I should probably start dinner." Sabine suddenly remembered that she had yet to even make it. "It shouldn't take me too long."

"Can I help with anything?" Emilie smiled at her and went to get up.

"Sure, if you would like." Sabine took ingredients out of her fridge.

"Where would you like me to start?" Emilie watched Sabine pull out a cutting board and place it on the island counter.

"How about if you go into that cabinet over there and grab a pot big enough to boil noodles, please." Sabine smiled at her, as she washed all of the vegetables in a colander at the sink.

Emilie made her way into the kitchen and opened the cabinet that Sabine had pointed to. She pulled out a big pot and carried it over to the sink, as Sabine moved around her to slice up the vegetables.

"Can I help? Please Mama, can I?" Marinette suddenly ran up to the two mothers with a wide smile and her hands clasped in front of her.

"Can I help too?" Adrien rushed up behind her with an equally cute smile.

"Please…." Adrien and Marinette begged in unison.

Sabine looked over at Emilie with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Should we let them?"

Adrien and Marinette looked at them pleadingly with giant baby doll eyes.

"I don't see why not." Emilie softly laughed and both of the kids jumped with excitement.

"Wash your hands first." Sabine smiled and pointed at the sink, as the two kids ran over in that direction. Adrien and Marinette nudged each other and giggled, as they both fought at the sink to wash their hands.

Emilie passed them a kitchen towel and they dried their hands on it, before she caught it, as they ran around the island and climbed onto the stools.

Sabine passed them each something to do. Adrien happily went about his task beside Marinette. They giggled and Adrien snuck glances over at her. The light of the kitchen seemed to make her glow and her smile entranced him. He had never seen someone so beautiful.

Emilie watched her son blush and quietly giggled to herself, as she stirred the noodles for the Chicken Lo Mein. With all of the help in the kitchen, dinner took less time than Sabine had expected. The kids ran around the kitchen table, setting it, before running off to play some more.

"Alright, it's ready!" Emilie called out. "Time to sit down you two."

"Yay…!" Marinette and Adrien stopped playing with the toys on the family room floor and made their way to their seats.

Adrien made sure to sit next to Marinette. He didn't want to leave her side. He smiled at her, as Sabine set portions of the Lo Mein in front of everyone. The food smelled delicious and the fact that Adrien had helped make it, made it seem even more special. He was never allowed to help their personal cook in the kitchen. The only times he got to help was when his mother would sneak them in on late nights to make cookies.

His eyes shook and his mouth fell open in pure happiness at what they had created as a real family. He had never felt like a real family with his own father. He had never had a true friend before Marinette, except maybe Chloe. But she was more like what he thought a sister would be like to him.

"So, would you like to play with Marinette again, Adrien?" Sabine smiled warmly at him.

"Can I?" Adrien looked from his mother to Marinette's mother and father.

"I don't see why not," Emilie leaned towards him and stage whispered, "Between you and me, she seems like a wonderful girl." Emilie smiled at Adrien.

"Thank you, Mother!" Adrien leapt from his chair and hugged his mother with closed eyes and a warm smile.

"Really?" Marinette burst out with excitement.

"Yes, really. You two seem to really get along well together and you could always use more friends." Sabine smiled at the two excited kids.

"Pound it!" Adrien held his fist out towards Marinette and she hit hers against his.

"Pound it!" Marinette giggled in return.

The adults talked for a long time, while Adrien and Marinette finished their dinner fast, in order to go off and play longer. Emilie helped clean up the dishes with Sabine, as Tom sat on the couch and watched the kids play more Ultimate Mecha Strike.

"Well, it's getting late. We should head home soon. I'm sure your father is wondering what is keeping us so long." Emilie smiled warmly at Tom and Sabine as she laid a hand on Adrien's shoulder.

"Awww… do we have to…?" Adrien whined, as he looked up at his mother.

"I'm sure you'll have many more play dates, kitten." Emilie smiled at him and ruffled his blonde hair with her fingers.

He giggled. "Okay…"

"Say goodnight and thank you for the wonderful dinner." Emilie hinted at Adrien with a wink.

Adrien stood with his hands behind his back. "Thank you for dinner. Goodnight."

Adrien walked to the door, before Marinette came running up to him. "Wait! I want to give you something."

Adrien looked at her with wonder filled green eyes and parted lips. She smiled and reached into her pocket, before she held out her closed fist. She opened her hand slowly to show him a beaded bracelet. "I made it with all of my favorite beads that I found in the park the other day. You keep it."

Adrien looked at her in shock, before he slowly reached over to take it from her. Electricity sparked between their hands and he quickly grabbed it from her outstretched palm. "Thank you, Marinette."

"It's good luck." Marinette smiled with her eyes closed and she blushed. "That way, you always have good luck too. Since you like being the black cat." She giggled and he slipped it into his pocket.

"Alright, time to go home." Emilie walked to the door and Adrien waved at Marinette, as they left.

"Did you have fun?" Emilie looked down at Adrien, who was too distracted by the bracelet in his palm to hear. She smiled warmly at him, as she understood what he was feeling.

When they returned home, the mansion was dark. Gabriel was nowhere to be seen, which was probably for the best. After Emilie put Adrien to bed, she sought out her husband in his office, where she knew he would be.

"I see you have returned from the girl's house." Gabriel said without preamble.

"Yes, she is a very interesting little girl. Her parents were perfect hosts and seem like good hardworking people. Adrien seems to be quite smitten with her…" Emilie said with a quiet chuckle. She doubted even Adrien realized he was developing a crush on Marinette.

"Smitten? He doesn't have time for such nonsense. If you would like, I can make sure their business is blacklisted from all magazines to ensure they aren't trying to gain popularity at his expense." Gabriel started to pick up his phone to dial his assistant, Nathalie, to get the ball rolling before too much damage could be done to the Agreste name.

"Are you serious right now? _That_ is what you got out of what I said? They are perfectly respectable people that just want our children to be friends! Maybe if you had come with us, you could've seen that for yourself!" Emilie sighed exasperatedly. For as business savvy as her husband was, he could be really dense when it came to interactions with other humans. Maybe he just didn't remember what it was like to make friends that weren't mutually beneficial to his business. "That came out harsher than I meant for it to. I just meant that not everything has to be about the _Gabriel_ brand. Your son had a great time tonight with a very good friend of his from school. Shouldn't that be enough for them to remain friends?" She came around the side of Gabriel's desk and placed her hand on his arm gently.

"Since when has it become a priority for him to have friends? His priorities should be focused on his future through the _Gabriel_ brand. Not playing around with a baker's daughter! I will tolerate this as long as his grades remain steady in school and he still fulfills his responsibilities at home. If you'll excuse me, I need to finish approving these designs before I end my work day. Good night, Emilie."

Growing more annoyed with his reclusion from the family by the day, she decided to give him the space he was trying to create and leave him be. Permanently. From the next day on, she dedicated her life to making sure Adrien had everything _he_ ever asked for or wanted. She became a pillar of strength to Adrien, a beacon of love to his father's distance and darkness. Adrien all but forgot the loneliness that started his school adventure and grew to be a content, if mischievous, young man.

When Adrien was ten years old and had graduated to becoming a nearly full time resident at Marinette's house, Gabriel had finally had enough. While he respected Emilie greatly, he believed her constant coddling of Adrien was causing him to become lazy and worthless. He didn't trust these people Adrien was continually spending time with were actually _that_ interested in his son. More than likely, they just wanted to use the Agreste name for their own benefit or to further their own business' profits. He decided to take matters into his own hands. Since his wife took it upon herself to allow the changes in Adrien's modelling schedule to make room for his "friends", he figured that he was allowed the same type of executive judgements as well. And that was how, come dinner that night, he was faced with a very angry son and disappointed wife.

"Father how could you?! I already had plans this week, and Mother and I had already agreed on them!" He angrily shook in his chair at the dinner table. He couldn't believe that out of all the times his Father would start caring about his existence, it just _had_ to be during an Ultimate Mecha Strike III tournament. While he doubted the ridiculous piano or fencing classes his Father was forcing him to start attending would be in session on the weekend, when the tournament itself was, they _would_ be going on during the practice times he had set up with Marinette during the week prior to the tournament. A part of Adrien wondered if his father was getting some enjoyment out of taking away the things that made him happy. He had already started to gradually increase his modelling "practice" photoshoots to where it was nearly impossible to be over at Marinette's two consecutive days now, and he's had to cut back on his guy time with Nino so much that he has to keep assuring Nino that they are still "best bros" and he isn't just avoiding him. But surely his father wouldn't do this to him on purpose, right?

"Adrien, I am well aware of the 'plans' you are referring to and a ridiculous video game tournament does not qualify as such. Your time should be filled with things that will further your education and stature in life, not mindless drivel that will never contribute anything to the world! As for your mother, I have already discussed this with her. Now, either eat your dinner or go to your room. I will not tolerate your outbursts ruining a perfectly good meal."

Adrien turned an incredulous eye to his mother, betrayal thick on his features. Up until that point, he believed that his mother could do no wrong in his eyes. But if she had agreed to this... He needed to escape. Fast. "I'm not hungry anymore." He didn't look at either of his parents again as he rushed out of the room.

"Was it really necessary to make it seem like we _both_ plotted this behind his back? You couldn't tell him how opposed to this I was? Or that you are doing this to merely get back at me for allowing our child to have fun?" Emilie was unamused at the lengths her husband would go to for petty revenge. Especially since they _didn't_ discuss this. He simply demanded that this was the way it was going to be and that if she wanted Adrien to have any free time at all for his friends, she would agree quietly. "I've suddenly lost my appetite as well. Enjoy the rest of your meal, Gabriel." With that, she placed her napkin upon her plate and rose to leave the room.

"Emilie, just remember that you caused this by indulging his frivolities and neglecting to be a parent to him. He should've been at the top of his class by now, but he isn't because he has no drive, no work ethic. I'm simply aiming to correct that." Gabriel said with a slight smirk.

"Actually, he _is_ at the top of his class. If you ever bothered to leave your office and attend a school function, you'd know that. Hell, if you were half the parent you should be, he wouldn't despise you as much as he already does." Emilie turned and walked out of the room. She hated arguing, hated speaking like that to the man she loved, but she didn't recognize that man in there anymore. And she couldn't help it, her Mama Bear instincts got the best of her. Perhaps it was uncalled for, but probably not. She turned her focus up the stairs in the direction of Adrien's bedroom. She wanted to go to him and explain, and apologize for what his father had done. But she wasn't sure if Adrien would be ready to hear it just yet. Maybe she would go take a shower and give him some time to cool off before attempting damage control. She sighed and turned towards her own bedroom.

Meanwhile, Adrien was quietly fuming in his room. He couldn't believe his mother would agree to this! Why? She had always been there for him with a smile or to share a laugh. Why would she suddenly decide to ignore his wishes?! Adrien brushed angry tears from his eyes as he moved his computer mouse, causing his screen to light up. He opened up his ongoing chat screen with Mari and began typing.

Adrien: You busy, Mari?

Mari: Just got done cleaning up our dinner mess. About to jump in the shower. What's up?

Adrien: I'm so mad I can't see straight.

Mari: What?! What happened?

Adrien: I'd rather explain in person.

Mari: I don't know, Adrien…. I don't think Mama and Papa would appreciate you coming over so close to bedtime. Or are you talking about tomorrow during practice?

Adrien: That is actually part of what I wanted to talk to you about. And I can't wait until then.

Mari: You're starting to scare me…. Is everything okay?

Adrien: Can you meet me in the park in 30 minutes? I know you don't want to risk getting in trouble, but I need you to help calm me down. I'll be there underneath the tree by the playground. Please, Mari.

Mari: I'll be there.

Adrien: I knew there was a reason you're my best friend. See you soon.


	3. Feelings

Adrien would often look back on that night and reflect at how drastically different his life would have been if that meeting hadn't occurred. He had thought his life was over, all due to his father's callousness. Now at the age of 15, there were times he seriously considered sending his father a Thank You note for changing him for the better. Each time he thought this, he chuckled and shook his head. Definitely not a Thank You card. His father would be furious to know that he set events into motion that changed Adrien permanently. Moreover, he would be furious to know that he caused the very unique marking that now adorned the upper left side of Adrien's back.

Adrien grabbed his overshirt and bag, slinging them both over his shoulder as he ran to the car that was waiting to drive him the few blocks to his high school. After he hopped in, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and opened his texting convo with Mari. He knew she probably wouldn't see any message he sent, but it never did deter him from sending them.

CN: Morning Princess, headed up to the school now. Don't forget the chemistry homework we finished during patrol last night. Would hate to think you worked so hard on it only to fail it…

He sighed and set his phone down next to him on the seat. Mari was many things: amazing, selfless, courageous, a genius with a sewing needle, and a true Princess in his eyes. But, she also wasn't perfect. She was clumsy, scatterbrained at times, and perpetually late when it came to being at school on time. He learned this long ago and had taken countermeasures to keep her out of trouble, such as morning texts to ensure she woke up at a decent time and reminders for any other important things. While she had been understandably offended when he first started doing this, eventually she grew to be grateful to have someone to count on so consistently. And that was why he stared at his phone like it was a foreign object when it dinged back a moment later.

LB: Chaton, why must you treat me like a child?! I'm perfectly capable of remembering my homework….. Don't look at me like that! I can see that look! If you must know, I had to turn around and run back upstairs to grab it. Ya happy now? ARE YOU? ;) See you in a few!

Adrien laughed out loud after getting to the end of her response. His Princess was a fiery one, that was for sure. He loved her for it more and more every single time.

As his car pulled up to the school and he jumped out, he felt the familiar sense of release that came with the presence of his friends. He might spend every waking moment possible with Mari, but he couldn't imagine how much duller his life would be without Nino and Alya in it. Especially since they had recently broken down and started dating. This had led to much merriment on Adrien and Mari's part, who had dubbed them DJWiFi long before they themselves had thought about dating. This was mostly due to Nino's propensity for constantly listening to music (even during school hours) and the fact that Alya was never seen without her phone opened to at least ten different tabs of journaling websites. The day the wifi went down citywide was a day that still caused Marinette nightmares occasionally. An Alya with no internet capabilities is a very scary Alya.

Nino and Adrien still had 'bro dates' at least once a week, usually on Sundays because Adrien's father had a hard time finding people working that day to keep his son busy. Since Marinette had _normal_ parents, she had no such scheduling conflicts to restrict her time with Alya. Adrien knew that today after school she and Alya had plans to hang out at Mari's house, as long as Mari had all of her homework for the week completed and turned in since it was Friday. This had been what prompted him to send her that text in the first place, so that those plans wouldn't be disrupted unnecessarily. What could he say, he loved looking out for his Lady!

Marinette ran up to her three close friends just as they finished exchanging pleasantries. Alya slipped her hand into Nino's as they turned to start walking towards their first period classroom, with a raised eyebrow and subtle head jerk towards Marinette for her and Adrien to do the same. Mari shook her head minutely. She didn't understand why Alya couldn't get it through her head that Adrien and her were _just friends_. No matter how much Marinette wanted to be more than that. Adrien had never given her any indication that he felt that way towards her, and he had plenty of opportunities to pick up on the not-so-subtle innuendos Alya was constantly dropping. So Marinette had learned to content herself with just being his closest and best friend by day, "superhero" partner by night, and secret admirer every moment in between. Regardless of the teasing nature of her answering text this morning, she really _was_ grateful that he had reminded her of her homework. Marinette needed her girl time with Alya, even if it was mostly spent with Alya watching Marinette work on whatever sewing project she was currently immersed in while ragging her mercilessly about her non-relationship with Adrien. Marinette both loved and dreaded those moments with her bestie. She often wondered if Adrien had to put up with that kind of teasing from Nino. Somehow she seriously doubted it.

After a long day in which all homework was turned in on time and the four teens were properly crammed with more knowledge and homework than they could handle, they were finally released to their own devices. Adrien had to go straight to fencing practice so he reluctantly said goodbye to Alya and Nino before lingering next to Mari. Alya pulled Nino further along the sidewalk to say her own goodbye to her boyfriend before she spent the rest of the day with Marinette. Marinette wasn't sure why, but something felt…. different between her and Adrien today. She shook her head, it was probably just her overthinking again.

"I guess I'll see you tonight for patrol, right? Same time, same place?" She asked as she nervously shuffled her feet before looking up into Adrien's face. She was surprised by the determination she saw there, more than what she thought her question warranted.

"Of course, Princess. I wouldn't miss it for the world." Adrien's eyes flicked down to her lips for the briefest of seconds as he leaned in close to her with the same intense gaze in his green eyes before remarking with a small smirk, "I wouldn't dare pass up a secret rendezvous with a gorgeous Lady such as yourself. I look forward to it each and every time. Until then, m'Lady, I bid you farewell." He grabbed her and and glanced around before quickly placing a small kiss to the back of her knuckles.

Marinette's mouth dropped open as he yelled "Bye, DJWiFi!" in Alya and Nino's general direction before closing his car door. Her face burned as she continued to stand and stare into nothing long after his car had left her line of sight. It wasn't that he had kissed her hand, no, he had started that ridiculous gesture on their very first patrol together. It was that he had actually done it _publicly_. That was definitely new, and it was causing Marinette's brain to overload. Why would he do that?! That was only something he did when he was Chat Noir, when he was able to let go and just be the goofy nerd she knew and loved. Alya came wandering back over at that point and closed Marinette's mouth since it seemed like her best friend was currently incapable of doing so herself. She wasn't sure what happened that had caused to suddenly crash, but she needed to reboot her fast and get her to her house for a proper interrogation.

"What do you mean he kissed your hand? Like he's some kind of knight in shining armor? I mean, I guess to _you_ he sort of is, but I thought he didn't have a clue? What changed?" Alya didn't understand what was going on. She had firmly believed that Adrien gave zero fucks that Marinette harbored a deep seated crush on him, which always confused her as he seemed to care for her greatly at the same time. Maybe he wasn't nearly as oblivious as she thought him to be.

"I have no idea why he did it, Alya!" While this wasn't expressly true, it was in the sense that he had never done it any other time than at the end of patrol. Alya didn't know that they 'patrolled' Paris most nights a week as partners: Ladybug and Chat Noir had been dreamt into existence during their very first actual patrol when they had created the reason for Adrien to escape his father's grasp for a few hours each night. Since Marinette was always on the lookout for inspiration for her fashion projects, new materials, and was always behind on her homework, they added those to the excuses that made patrolling a needed thing. Adrien was just grateful she had chosen to amend her very strict by-the-rules-only philosophy to sneak out and help save his sanity on that fateful night and every night they were able to afterwards. That night was when she was cemented as the reason Adrien continued to live, continued to put up with his absentee father and increasingly depressed mother. He loved her even more the next night she showed up with their 'superhero costumes' - hers being a one piece pajama outfit in ladybug colors and his, a one piece black ensemble with neon green stitching. Both had hoods that covered their heads and she had even made little masks to protect their identities. She brought themed flashlights that they used to scour the park. After he had praised her for coming up with all of that on such short notice, she had turned beet red and mumbled about how if they were going to be out getting in trouble after dark, they were going to be doing so in style. He had decided right then and there that seeing that blush was going to be his end-of-patrol goal each time. That's where the goodnight kiss to the hand originated.

 _Ladybug ran up to Chat Noir with excitement in her eyes, the light of her flashlight dancing along the ground as she ran. Chat was sitting on a park bench, fiddling with the dark fabric on his thigh. He held his cheek in his palm. He sighed and swung his feet._

" _Kitty!" Ladybug jumped at him with her flashlight in front of her. "Are you ready for patrol?" She tried to brighten his night, after yet another day of being let down by his father. Chat gave her a short smirk, before his expression dropped back to one of disappointment._

 _Ladybug pouted her lips and put her hands on her hips. "Let's go! It's our first patrol, Chaton! Aren't you excited?"_

" _It's hard to be excited when your father controls who you see and when you see them." Chat sighed and kicked the dirt with his foot._

" _Well, tonight's your lucky night! " Ladybug held a bright green flashlight that matched her pink one out to him. Chat Noir looked up at her with curious eyes and parted lips. She shook the green flashlight at him and he took it from her, before he stood up._

" _Alright, let's go." His expression became determined and she took off around the park._

" _Hey, wait up, LB!" Chat ran after her, as she giggled and turned around sticking her tongue out at him. She ran along the fountain and he giggled and leapt up onto the stone, to copy her. She jumped down and took off, before she skidded to a stop. She gasped, as she saw a tall shadow appear in front of her._

" _What is it, Bugaboo?" Chat looked in front of them. His expression became determined and he suddenly pulled her behind him. "I'll protect you!" He leapt in front of her and she blushed. He looked over his shoulder and winked at her, causing her cheeks to flush more._

 _Chat stood in front of Ladybug like a shield and Ladybug aimed her pink flashlight at the shadow, causing it to disperse from the beam of light._

" _Bye, bye, little shadow." Ladybug giggled and raised her light to the night sky. Chat held out his fist and she bumped hers against his, as they called out in tandem, "Pound it!"_

 _Chat smiled at her and suddenly bowed. He gripped her hand and brought her knuckles close to his lips. "Until next time, m'lady." He smirked at her, before he brushed his soft lips onto the back of her hand, causing her cheeks to flush._

 _He loved making her blush. Something about it made him feel accomplished and happy. It made him forget about his father and everything that was strict and wrong in his life. Something about patrolling made him feel free and a huge part of it was due to her existence. He didn't know how he could survive without her light in his life._

 _Her eyes grew wider, as she got lost in his neon green ones. He smirked at her and kept her hand in his, before she suddenly pulled it away from him._

 _He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head, nervously. "Sorry, that was an accident. I meant to… shake... your... hand…. Yeah. Shake your hand." He pointed his index fingers at her with a slight blush and a soft laugh._

 _She giggled with closed eyes and her cheeks flushed a deeper peach tone. "It's okay, Chaton."_

"MARINETTE!" Alya yelled in her ear, causing her to violently jump and nearly knock their heads together.

"Why are you yelling in my ear?!" Marinette complained, as she waited for her racing heart to stop trying to jump out of her chest and sprint away.

"Girl don't even try to act salty with me! I said your name for a good two minutes and you didn't even blink. Drastic times call for drastic measures and all that. What are you going to do about Lover Boy's sudden interest in having his lips on your skin?" Alya didn't even attempt to hide her smirk as Marinette's face turned redder and redder.

"Alllyyaaaaa…." Marinette whined while trying to cover up her burning cheeks. This couldn't be reality. They really weren't standing here having a conversation about Adrien kissing her. At least, part of her. She must've been clumsy at some point at school and knocked her head. That was the only logical explanation.

"I see what's going on in that brain of yours, Marinette. This is really happening. What is your game plan? How are you going to respond the next time it happens?" It was kind of scary how well she could read Marinette's mind sometimes.

"Do you think it'll happen again?! What if it was an accident? He could've... I dunno… Not meant to kiss my hand?" Marinette knew this sounded weak, but she honestly had no idea on how to proceed from here.

"What, like he actually meant to kiss you somewhere else?" This wasn't something Alya had considered, as it was unlikely it was an accident that he had grabbed her hand and placed his lips on it but she humored Mari anyway. Knowing these two dorks, anything was possible and nothing was off the table.

"Well when you put it like that, it sounds dumb. I just meant… I don't know what I meant. He had a weird look in his eyes, like he was super focused on something. Even though there wasn't anything that merited that level of intensity….. What?" Marinette looked at Alya as her best friend's smirk grew wider and wider.

"He _totally_ meant to kiss you somewhere else!" Alya fist pumped the air and jumped up and down excitedly. Marinette was at a loss for words, convinced her friend had officially fallen off of the deep end. "Why do you say that?"

"He sounds like he was concentrating. Or, like he was _getting up the nerve to do something he's never done before_ ; i.e. kiss this amazing girl who just so happens to be his closest friend. It sounds like he lost his nerve at the last moment but decided to go for some sort of action anyway." Marinette took a moment to let Alya's words sink in.

She recalled the way Adrien's eyes had jumped to her lips. Could that be true? Had he really been going to kiss her on the lips? While this made every dream she had come true, she was cautious to not get her hopes up too much, just in case her mind had fabricated that little tidbit.

"So what should I do? Pursue him? Try to initiate the same situation? I don't see how I can do any of that without becoming a stuttering mess." She sighed as reality set in. She had zero romantic experience, it wasn't like she could just walk over to him all smooth-like and expect him to swoon over her. Talk about unrealistic.

"Girl, lets not give up hope just yet. We've just got to wait for your moment to pounce! After all, your main wing woman is here to help you earn your Cool Cat Under Pressure wings!" Alya said, with such a ridiculous look on her face that Marinette couldn't do anything else but dissolve into giggles. The rest of their time together was spent fangirling over their perfect life together and how they and DJWiFi were going to do a double wedding so that they could have a giant party afterwards. Exactly what every fifteen year old girl dreams her wedding day would be like.

"Pound it!" Ladybug held her fist out to him at the end of patrol, as usual. Chat Noir smirked and suddenly grabbed her hand in his before bowing down to kiss the back of her knuckles.

Ladybug blushed and panicked. She couldn't think straight whenever he would do that to her. Words bubbled up and fell from her mouth, before she could even think to stop them. "You don't have to JUST kiss my knuckles on accident everytime!" She suddenly covered her mouth with her free hand and he smirked with a dark expression.

He stood up straight and pulled her close. "Oh, really, Purrincess? And where is it that I should be 'accidently' kissing you instead?" He made air quotes with his gloved fingers and smirked at her with a daring expression.

"I- I just meant that you…." Ladybug's cheeks grew more red with each of his words.

He smirked at her and searched her eyes. She sighed and looked into his glowing emerald eyes, as he brought his lips meer inches from her soft pink ones. "Yes?"

Ladybug swallowed hard and lowered her lashes, as she got closer to him. He parted his lips, while she closed hers, as their eyes slowly shut.

Chat's tongue swiped her pursed lips and she jumped back with embarrassment and held her hands to her lips in shock. "I- I'm sorry."

"No, I- I'm sorry. I- I thought that…"Chat rubbed the back of his neck and twisted his boot against the cement. "In movies I always saw it done that way. I- try again?" He sheepishly smiled at her and she relaxed, bringing her hands down to her hips.

Ladybug smiled at him with a blush and looked away. Chat Noir sighed and smirked at her again. He walked towards her and she backed up against the wall. He slid his hand behind her lower back. She looked into his neon green eyes with wonder, as he peered into her blue bell ones. Chat touched her chin with his thumb and forefinger, as he brought his lips down to her soft pink ones. She panted, anticipating his soft lips on hers. Anticipating what it would feel like to finally kiss a boy. To kiss _Chat_. She licked her lips and he brushed her lips against hers. Ladybug parted her lips and ran her tongue along his top lip, thinking that he was going to kiss her like before. He jumped back in surprise and she covered her mouth with her hands and clenched her eyes shut while her face flamed, so brightly, she was sure he'd be blinded.

"I'm so sorry. I-I got confuzz- confused. I didn't know how you were going to kiss me. I thou-thought you were going to- um…" Ladybug stumbled over her words, as her heart raced.

"Bugaboo…." Chat sighed and shook his head with a chuckle.

"What? What did I do?" Ladybug began to panic that she had done something wrong and ruined everything.

Chat suddenly slammed his hand beside her head and she shrunk against the wall with wide eyes, as he peered at her through heavily lidded forest green eyes. He smirked and tipped her chin up, as he brought his lips close to hers. He gently pressed his lips against hers and she sighed, as he slowly swiped his tongue along her bottom lip. She gasped and parted her lips, as he took the opportunity to run his tongue along hers. She sighed and kissed him back, before he gave her one last chaste kiss. They slowly opened their eyes and he gently removed his fingers from her chin. "Was that okay, m'lady?"

Ladybug blushed and covered her lips with a silent nod of her head. Chat softly chuckled at her and took her hand. "C'mon. Let's go finish up our patrol before my father ruins our moment, like always."

And with that she followed him through the city, as they laughed and weaved through the trees and leaped down from half walls.

Since he always insisted on seeing her back to her balcony at the end of each patrol, she wasn't surprised when he followed up the makeshift ladder she had created years ago to help her sneak in and out each time. She waited until he was up and safe before leaning in to give him a hug, just as she did every other night. What she wasn't expecting was for him to pull away from her. The sting of rejection was brief but real. Maybe she _had_ messed things up after all. Adrien must've seen the hurt on her face because he quickly threw his hands up in a placating gesture with a nervous chuckle. This made her relax slightly, but she was still curious as to where he was going with all this weird behavior. She really thought they had had enough weirdness for one night.

"Bugaboo… Marinette… I was hoping that you would be my good luck charm out of my cat suit as well as in it. Wouldyougooutwithme?" He mumbled the last part in a rush as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bracelet that had alternating black and neon green beads, with a ladybug bead every third bead. He studiously avoided looking into her eyes, choosing instead to gently grab her wrist and fasten the bracelet around it. When he couldn't stand her silence any longer, he finally looked up at her.

Marinette was looking at him with the softest expression on her face he had ever seen. A stray tear leaked out from the corner of her mask as she gently pulled his face to her and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"Of course I will, silly Kitty. I thought you'd never ask."

Adrien left with a dazed expression and another blinding smile, glad he was finally able to find the courage to follow his heart.


	4. First of Firsts

Marinette nervously clutched her portfolio to her as she sat in the small lobby of _L'autre Maison de Couture_ waiting for the receptionist to tell her to go to the back. She knew she didn't have a reason to be nervous, her designs were the best she had. Adrien had assured her that she would get the internship hands down. She accused him of being partial at first, until he threatened to tear apart her designs as a model and as a fashion genius' son. Initially the thought had scared her to death, but once she realized that this was her chance to get some insider perspective before she gets into the industry, she decided to take the chance of her feelings getting hurt. Adrien had done just as he said he would, he honestly told her exactly what needed improving from both points of views. There wasn't a ton of changes she had to make, which made her feel better. And really it was no different than her starting with a rough draft for an idea and gradually refining it down into the finish product. She was immensely grateful for his help, but more importantly his honesty. He had always had a love/hate relationship with fashion and she was sure that falling in love with a designer wasn't always the easiest on him. At least she never adored his father the way the other girls studying design thought she should. She could never idolize someone who treated his son so poorly. Things had only gotten worse for Adrien when his mother had disappeared into thin air, leaving only a note saying she couldn't take being in such an unloving marriage. Adrien had been devastated. Marinette had always held a great deal of respect for Emilie, after all she was the one that provided the chance for Marinette and Adrien to become friends outside of school. At first she was confused as to why Emilie would just abandon Adrien to his father, but with time the feelings of anger passed. Adrien had her, and her family, and all of their friends. While none of that could heal the heartbreak in his heart totally, it was enough to make his life more than bearable. Now at 18, Adrien was working towards getting his degree in Physics, specifically quantum physics. He had taken advanced classes in high school, and was now taking courses at college. He had thankfully been able to drop the piano and fencing lessons not long after his 15th birthday. It didn't even involve a fight with his father, once he saw that Adrien was dedicated to furthering his education and not just wanting free time to 'slack off' like the rest of his friends. After all, according to his father himself, furthering his education had been why he had to take piano and fencing in the first place.

"Mlle Dupain-Cheng?" the receptionist, Jennifer, walked up to her with a smile and a bottle of chilled water. "Would you like some water?"

Marinette never understood why water was offered in interviews. The sweat from the bottle would just ruin her fabric samples and drawings in her portfolio, not to mention make her hands wet. As a klutz, it would absolutely be her luck to dump the bottle as soon as they sat down.

"No, thank you very much though. I don't think I would have room for it with all the butterflies in my stomach." Marinette followed her across the room, waiting for her to swipe her keycard at a door before following her down a long hallway with many abstract fashion paintings.

"I completely understand. However, M. Laurent is one of the most relatable superiors I have ever come across. He loves to support honest, hard working, outside of the box thinkers when it comes to his design teams. I've heard he is very interested in what you have to offer us here. So please, just remember to relax and show him how talented you are." She paused to knock on a door that was surrounded by glass windows.

Marinette was surprised that Jennifer had spoken to her the way she did. As far as she knew, she had never met her before, yet there was a familiarity in which she said Marinette's name that surprised her. Something of that must've shown on her face because Jennifer quietly laughed before saying, "Oh, me and your parents go way back. Your dad couldn't contain himself last week when I was in to pick up a box of macaroons for the board meeting."

The door opened and Jennifer winked at Marinette before smiling at M. Laurent and heading back down the hallway. Marinette's nerves, which had been quietly simmering below the surface while speaking to Jennifer, bubbled back up to dangerous levels once again. She pasted on the best smile she could muster and walked through the door with her shoulders squared. If she didn't have confidence that her designs were the best, how could she possibly convince this man that they were?

"Before we begin, I just want to let you know that his job may require you to travel. I remember what it's like being young and wanting to make it in the world, but being away from home is often taxing. We are currently having issues with a design lead in Milan for that very reason. So, I would like for you to think hard before you decide to accept any position that might be offered today. I'm not guaranteeing the travel would be immediate, but I do want to make sure you are prepared for the possibility." The man speaking was tall and lean without being skinny, with sandy blonde hair slicked back in a professional bun. He was in a very snazzy burnt orange vest with a black undershirt and forest green slacks. While she would've never picked that color combo for an outfit, it somehow suited him.

"Oh…. Thank you for the advance notice, sir, but I this has been my dream for as long as I can remember. I feel prepared enough for any outcome to face this challenge head on, whether it's here or across the globe." Marinette hadn't quite convinced herself that this was the case, because she couldn't imagine having to leave Adrien behind. But she was certain that she wasn't good enough to get sent away to represent the company right away, so she viewed this as Future Marinette's problem.

"That is a very wise answer, Mlle Dupain Cheng. Please, feel free to set yourself up whichever way helps you to best showcase your talents." He smiled brightly at her and encouraged her to take his offer seriously, as he had cleared off an entire section of his desk, as well as pulled a stand over for her to hang up whatever she wanted to talk about first. "Is there anything I can do to assist your set up?"

Marinette wasn't sure if this guy was for real or not, so as crazy as it might seem, she decided to test his sincerity out. "If you wouldn't mind, would you tell me which style you would like to see first? Then I'll be better suited to answer that question."

This was apparently the right thing to say. After a great burst of laughter, he answered with shining eyes, "Oh I can tell I like you already. Very well, how about we start with the classic formals and go from there?"

Marinette had hoped that this would be the case. She had a flare for creating elegant, simple yet unique formal attire. It was her strongest design in this particular collection. After she had given M. Laurent her instructions, she took a deep breath and began her presentation.

Marinette practically levitated home that afternoon. Adrien had left her a million texts and voicemails, but she had wanted to tell him in person so she just said that she would meet up with him for patrol and let him know how it went. She could tell he was disgruntled with her vague responses, but seeing the look on his face would be worth it. She knew her parents would know the moment she walked through the door, and she was proven right the way her mother squealed as soon as she saw her. Her father came running out of the back to see what was going on and found his wife and his daughter hugging in the middle of the customer area. Never one to miss a good bear hug, he hurried over to wrap his arms around both of his girls before lifting them bodily off the floor. "We're so proud of you honey! We never had any doubt in you at all. Just think, our little girl, a big time fashionista straight out of high school!"

"Papa! I wouldn't build me to up too much… Just think of how easily over inflated my ego could become if you continue to talk to me like I'm the only worthwhile designer out there!" Marinette laughed as her father set them all back down and beamed down at her. She had never felt as happy as she did right now, except for maybe right after her and Adrien had gotten together. Speaking of which, she had received another text from him right before she walked in the door. As she pulled out her phone, she waved to her parents and headed upstairs to her room to answer her text and call Alya with the good news. She felt bad for telling Alya before Adrien, but she knew Alya was infinitely more impatient than Adrien was. And, she could tell Alya over the video call and be okay. She wanted to _celebrate_ with Adrien. That wasn't something she could over the phone. She smiled as she thought about what she hoped that would entail. Opening her text messages, she clicked on the newest one from Adrien.

CN: Hey! Are you really gonna stick to the whole not-telling-me thing? What if I'm dying over here!

LB: Better put a bandage on that wound then, Chaton. Is it so bad that I want to actually be with you and look into your eyes when I tell you the biggest news of my life? Would you rather be told over a text message like everyone else?

CN: ...I hate it when you logic at me. Fine, I'll leave you alone about it. But, I do have to request there be a slight change in plans for the evening. Do you mind meeting me at my house instead of patrolling? Father left out of town this afternoon while you were in your interview so I figured we could spend some time here instead of roaming the streets as usual. But feel free to come in normal patrol attire… ;)

LB: You are such an alley cat! Sounds like you've had a bit of good luck today so I'll wear Ladybug just for you. What time do you want me to come over? Normal time?

CN: I can never have too much of _your_ good luck charm, m'Lady. Normal time is fine. I'll be looking forward to seeing you, no matter what news you bring with you. I love you Bug.

LB: You have no shame, you know that? I love you too, Kitty. See you soon.

Marinette had to wait until the blush in her cheeks died down before dialing Alya's number to tell her the good news. She knew Alya would grill her for a long while so she had plenty of time for that and to get ready for whatever Adrien had planned for the evening.

Adrien leaned onto Nathalie's desk and pushed the button to open the gate. The filigreed gate slowly opened and Marinette walked through it. She made her way up the large staircase, watching her feet to keep from tripping. The door swung open and she jumped when she saw Adrien leaning in the doorway with one leg crossed over his ankle in his Chat Noir costume. "How did the interview go?" He scanned her curvy body from her feet to her face and took in her Ladybug costume. Over the years it had changed as her body had begun to fill it out better.

Marinette giggled at him and pushed his chest, causing him to move out of the way. "Could you wait until I get my foot in the door, alley cat?" Adrien looked at her with a dark expression and a smirk,as she slid past him.

Adrien dropped the door and caught up to her, as he watched her walk up the stairs towards his bedroom. "Hey, I've been dying to know how it went all day! Are you going to tell me or not?"

Marinette giggled and looked over her shoulder at him, as she opened one of his bedroom doors. "Wanna watch a movie?"

Adrien groaned and ran a hand over his face, as he froze in the doorway. "Seriously? I wanna know how it went!" Marinette sat down on the white couch and waited for him to sit beside her.

Adrien gave in and walked towards her, before he sat down next to an eager Marinette. She ran through the movies that sat on his entertainment section. "So, should we watch this one or… this one?" He looked at her with an unamused expression. He really didn't care what movie they watched. He wanted to know what had happened.

Marinette giggled and picked one, before putting it on for them. Adrien rung his fingers together and worried his bottom lip. He suddenly tapped his thigh and burst out. "Are you going to tell me or not?"

Marinette smiled over at him. "Such an impatient kitty." She tapped him on the nose.

"Only when a stubborn bug won't tell me how her important interview went." He looked at her with an accusatory expression as his tone took on a pout.

"Alright." Marinette sat on her knees and faced him with her palms on her thighs. "It was awful. They hated my designs and said I'd never make it in the fashion world." Marinette said as she strove to keep a straight face. Adrien looked at her suspiciously. Something wasn't sitting right… "Okay, okay! Actually…... It went really well. I showed him my designs and he loved them. So… I got the job! I start in two weeks!"

Adrien's green eyes went wide and he brightly smiled at her. He touched her cheeks and kissed her. She squeaked with a blush, before he slowly pulled away from her. "That's amazing, Marinette! I knew he'd love your designs! I'm so proud of you m'Lady!"

"Thank you, Adrien. He did mention something about needing a new design lead in Milan... but I doubt he'd send someone as inexperienced as I am, on his company's dime no less, to a different country." Marinette was a little concerned about how Adrien would handle this news, as his home life wasn't the best and he had stated as much several times before.

"Whatever happens, Bugaboo, we'll figure it out. You have amazing talent, so don't sell yourself short." In truth, Adrien knew this was a _very_ real possibility, especially with how adept Marinette was at learning and managing projects. If they wanted her to travel, they would make it happen, whether she's ready or not. But, he just couldn't think about it. He didn't know how to survive his hell without her, but if this was what made her happy, he would have to find a way.

Marinette smiled warmly at him and licked her lips. Adrien searched her blue bell eyes, as a silence fell between them. The movie droned on in the background, as they forgot about it. Adrien ran his thumb along her cheek and she looked slightly away from him.

"How did I end up with such a talented artist? You're amazing, you know that?" He sighed and smiled sweetly at her. She melted into his hand and slowly closed her eyes.

Adrien ran his hand down her cheek and tilted her chin up. He slowly brought his lips down to hers and softly kissed her soft lips. She sighed, as his fingers tangled into the back of her hair. He trailed kisses along her jawline and down her neck and she let out a soft mewl, as her skin became sensitive and heated. She felt like electricity was running along her skin. He smirked at her and she gasped at his hungry expression. Adrien captured her soft lips again with his own and he ran his tongue along her bottom lip. She ran her tongue along his and gripped his muscular upper arms. Adrien ran his hand up her thigh and slowly touched the small of her back. He leaned her back onto the couch and she looked up at him with bedroom eyes. He braced himself over her and smirked at her with heavily lidded emerald eyes. "Do you want me to stop?"

Marinette ran her fingers up his chest and slid her hands behind his neck. She smiled at him and played with the hair at the nape of his neck. Marinette yanked him down and his eyes went wide with surprise, before they darkened with need. She captured his lips with hers and deepened the kiss. That was enough of an answer for him. He slid his hand up her body, from her hip to her left breast. He ran his thumb along her peaked nipple through the fabric. She arched her back and moaned against his lips. Adrien brushed his lips along her neck as, he made small circles around her nipple, causing her to mewl softly against his ear. His cock flexed as her breath caressed his ear. He stifled a moan by gently biting her neck. She cried out and bit the side of her index finger, as he gently tugged on her nipple with his gloved fingers, while he lavished her neck with his lips and tongue. She softly mewled as she ran a hand down his toned chest and along his abs. Marinette touched his chin and tilted his face up to meet hers. She looked at him through her lashes, and took in his hungry expression. How his lips were parted in a soft pant, and how his face was flushed. She bit her bottom lip with a smile and slid her hand along his hardened length through the suit and he suddenly tilted his head down and moaned, as she ran her hand up and down him, from his swollen tip to the base.

Adrien peered up into her blue eyes with a dark expression, before he slid his hand down her side and around her hip, until he slid his fingers between her thighs. He ran his finger along her folds and felt how wet the suit had become. He moaned and looked at her, as she arched her back and teased him through his tight catsuit. "Do you want to move this to the bed?" Adrien ground the words out in between moans.

Marinette nodded and moaned, as he circled his finger on her swollen clit through the taut fabric. She widened her legs for him and panted, as her fingers slid along him faster. He moaned and removed his hand, before he picked her up off the couch. She moaned, rolled her hips along his aching cock, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He captured her lips and she parted hers, allowing him access to hers. He ran his tongue along hers and she tangled her fingers into his soft blonde hair.

Adrien gently laid her down onto his giant bed. He laid down beside her and rolled her onto her side, before he yanked her closer by her hip. She let out a soft squeak and giggled. He smiled at her and tilted her chin up, before bringing his lips to hers. They parted their lips and ran their tongues slowly against one anothers. Marinette sighed and let out a moan, as he rolled his hips along hers. She gently pushed him onto his back by his chest and he smirked at her through his black mask.

Marinette slipped one of her legs over his hips and sat up straight. He took in her perfectly rounded breasts through the black spotted fabric. How her waist came in before gently curving out along her hips. He ran his hands up her thighs and gripped them with his nails. She bit her bottom lip with a smile and took one his hands in hers. She slid it up her back, and leaned slightly towards him. He smirked and pressed his lips against her soft ones, as he grabbed the zipper of her suit. He had often thought about that zipper on patrols and what would happen if he were to pull it down her back. How she would react to his fingers grazing her spine. He flexed against her at the thought and she moaned, as his cock brushed her swollen clit.

Adrien slowly slid the zipper down, making sure to lightly touched her spine with his fingertips. She gasped, as the feeling of his slender fingers along her back. He slid his hands up her arms and pulled her suit down them, as he took in her creamy skin tone and how the light reflected off of it. She pulled her arms out from the gloves and blushed, as he cupped her rounded breasts in his palms. He licked his lips and ran his thumbs along her peaked nipples. She moaned and arched her back, as she ran her wet pussy against his throbbing cock. He groaned and lifted his hips up to meet hers.

She leaned down and he slid his hands along her sides, as he pulled her suit down her hips. She licked along his bottom lip and he captured her tongue with his lips, before he passionately kissed her. Adrien felt for her panties, but didn't find any. "Did you plan for this to happen, Bugaboo?"

Marinette blushed and nervously chewed on the side of her index finger. "I never wear anything under the suit." Adrien looked at her in shock, before he smirked at her with a sultry expression. He yanked her back down to him and eagerly slid her suit down her thighs. She sighed and helped him get her suit the rest of the way off. He looked into her blue bell eyes and suddenly rolled her onto her back and pinned her to the bed with his hips. She gasped and brought his lips down to hers into a slow kiss. He moaned and moved his hips along hers. She cried out, as he brushed her sensitive pussy with his hardened cock. He moaned as, his suit became too constricting for his liking. "Mari?"

"Hm?" Marinette dreamily hummed against his lips. Adrien kissed her harder, before he continued to talk. "Can I lose the suit?" Marinette smiled and slid her hands up his chest, taking the bell in her palm. She yanked him closer and pressed her tongue past his soft lips. He groaned into her kiss, as she slowly pulled the bell down his chest and along his torso. She slid his suit down his shoulders, as he gasped at how her fingers felt along his heated skin. He helped her remove his suit. Marinette cried out, as his soft swollen cock ran between her folds, as he leaned into her more. He groaned and rocked his hips, gliding along her wet sex. She gripped his forearms and bit into his shoulder to quiet her cries. Adrien groaned and dipped his head down to capture one of her nipples between his lips. He rolled it with his tongue and she arched her back and cried out in pleasure. She tangled her fingers into his hair and touched his leather cat ears. He slowly trailed kisses between her breasts and she arched her back with each kiss. He swiped his tongue along her pelvic bone and bent her knees for her. She gasped, as he kissed along her inner thighs. Her fingers gripped his hair, as he peered up at her with a smirk and glowing green eyes through his dark mask. He gripped her thighs in his hands and slowly ran his tongue from her opening to her tingling clit. She cried out and threw her head back into his pillows with closed eyes, as he circled her swollen nub with the tip of his tongue.

She panted and cried out, as he flicked her clit, before running his tongue between her folds to her tight core. He dipped his tongue inside of her and she bucked her hips against his lips. He moaned and circled his tongue inside of her, before slowly licking back up to her clit. Adrien slid one finger inside of her, as he worked her with his tongue. She moaned as her body began to quiver with each passing of his wet warm tongue. He felt her tremble beneath his fingertips, and he wrapped his lips around her swollen clit, as he added a second finger. Adrien pumped his fingers into her tight pussy and she cried out and gripped his shoulder. He moaned and sucked on her clit, as he flicked it with his tongue. She panted and shuttered as she came around his fingers and mouth.

Adrien suddenly slid his fingers from her soaking sex and moved up her body. He captured her lips in a hungry kiss. He couldn't wait any longer. Couldn't handle her soft mewl any longer. He gripped her thigh with one hand and lined himself up with her wet folds, before he slowly slid the swollen tip into her tight pussy. She cried out and looked into his eyes with sultry blue ones. "Adrien…"

"Are you okay?" Adrien panted and ran his hand through her hair, that was spilled out along his pillows. Marinette nodded and licked her lips. He gently kissed her and slowly slid deeper into her with short thrusts. Marinette moaned gripped his biceps with her fingertips, as he filled her. She winced, as he slowly slid all of his length into her. Her walls gripped his cock and he groaned at the sensation. "Just move, Chaton... Please... _anything_." Marinette begged, as she felt his cock flex at her words.

Adrien groaned and began to roll his hips into hers. She moaned and pulled him down closer to her breasts, as he began to speed up his rhythm with pants. She cried out as he pumped into her faster and harder. Her toes curled as a wave of pleasure took her over. He moaned and ran his tongue between her swollen pink lips and she swiped her tongue along his in return. He groaned and grabbed her thigh, pushing it up more and she cried out at the new angle. Adrien flicked her nipple with his tongue, before he wrapped his soft lips around it and he gently tugged and sucked on it. She arched her back and cried out as she came around his throbbing cock. " _Ah_ , Chaton…"

Adrien moaned and let her nipple go with a pop, before his whole body stuttered. He didn't know how much longer he was going to last. Adrien thrust deeper into her, as he felt the pressure build at the base of his spine. His legs shook as he went faster, and her nails bit into his back muscles. He groaned as he released with her name on his lips in soft whispered pants. "Marinette… Princess.."

Marinette mewled at the sound of her name in her ear, as he slowed his pace. She peppered his face with soft kisses, as he pulled out and collapsed on top her. She quietly giggled, as he peered up into her eyes. She ran her hand through his damp hair and he smiled at her. "How was that?"

"Amazing, Kitty cat." Marinette hummed as he climbed off of her. He sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hand through his messy hair as he slid his mask off. That was when she noticed the tattoo of the black cat on his right shoulder blade. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Adrien turned to look over his shoulder at her. She shook her head and crawled over to him. He watched her slowly raise her hand and run her fingers along his mark on his back. "When did you get this?" She peered up into his forest green eyes. He turned from her in thought. "I've always had it. Why?"

Marinette worried her bottom lip and stood up off of the bed. She turned away from him and moved her hair to the side. His mouth fell open, as he took in the ladybug mark on her right shoulder blade. He stood up and gently touched it. "How long have you had _that_?"

"It's been there since I can remember." Marinette peered over her shoulder at him.

He yanked her into his bathroom and turned her back to face the giant mirror, as he did the same. He lined up their shoulders and watched them match up. She looked at him with parted lips and he gave her the same astounded expression.

"That's weird." Marinette swallowed hard, as she turned back to watch her ladybug mark change and gain spread wings, while his tattoo gained glowing green eyes and what looked to be a smirk. "What is happening?" Adrien was both interested yet confused.

"I-I don't know." Marinette was at a loss for words. "But something strange is happening."

He sighed and strode over to his cabinets to grab clean clothes. He brought a pile of clothes over to her. "Here, you can wear these."

"I should get home. Isn't your father going to be home soon?" Marinette took the red pajama pants and black v-neck from him.

"He's at a conference and won't be back until tomorrow night. You're safe to stay. Besides I want to know more about these weird marks." Adrien slipped a white deep v tee over his head and slid on a pair of olive pajama pants. He walked along the cool tile back into his bedroom. "Hungry?" Adrien spoke, as he walked to the door between his skateboard ramps. She quickly got dressed and followed him to the kitchen.

"How did we not notice these before? Do you cover yours up? How do you do the topless photoshoots?" Marinette was on the verge of freaking out. Why did this happen? What did it mean that they both had one? Questions without answers swirled around her mind, threatening to drown her as she sat down at one of the few chairs that the kitchen had to offer. Adrien had zero experience cooking, but he knew the route to the snack shelf by heart. After all those years of restricted diets, he had come to know which midnight snacks were the easiest to grab and go before being caught. He had long suspected that one of the kitchen staff was aware of his late night escapades, as he noticed that his favorites increased in quantity and ease to get to after his first few trips.

"Princess, breathe. That's the first time I have ever seen it with such clarity. Usually it is faded, nearly invisible. I keep a little tube of concealer in my bag and apply it before my shoots. And this is the first time we've ever been this… exposed around each other. And it's never changed like it did in the bathroom. Like I said before, I've always had something there. But around three years ago, it suddenly changed into this very defined black cat. It's been the same up until just now when…. Whatever that was just happened. What about yours?" Adrien's voice soothed Marinette's quickly fraying nerves as he moved around the kitchen efficiently.

Marinette tapped her chin as she hummed in thought, "I guess mine became a ladybug about the same time as yours morphed into the cat, but I've always had something there too. Mine stays pretty faded. Although, if I trace around the body, I can feel a slight warmth there. I wonder if we would be able to find anything online about magically appearing tattoos. ' _Miraculous Tattoos_ ' or something for the search…." She trailed off, lost in thought, as Adrien placed a wood board with various fancy cheeses on the counter. He walked over to a wine chiller and pulled out a bottle of pinot noir. He rummaged through cabinets looking for a pair of wine glasses. It took him a moment because he had never really bothered to look for such a thing before.

"Do you do this type of thing often?" Marinette leaned on to her elbows and watched him pop the cork on the wine bottle, before he tipped each glass and poured a bit of wine into each one with grace. "Not really. I've seen it done enough times in my line of work to know how to pour it. Plus all of the times I had to join my father for meetings over dinner at the house." Adrien sighed, corked the bottle, and sat it down, before he picked up the glasses and gently sat one down in front of her. Marinette brought the glass to her lips and took a small sip, while Adrien took a piece of cheese and put it onto a cracker. "So, what's your guilty pleasure?" Adrien about dropped the cheese spreader that was in his hand, but he caught it before it could fall to the tile floor. Marinette giggled and stole the cracker and cheese from him. "I meant, what is your guilty pleasure food wise, you dirty kitty."

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile. "Oh. I would have to say… cookies. I love any type. Although…" Adrien leaned on the counter and looked into her eyes with an accusing expression. "I think you are very aware of what my 'guilty pleasures' are, m'lady. You've known me long enough." Marinette giggled at him and covered her mouth, as she ate and drank her wine. Adrien pulled a grape from the vine and threw it up into the air, to catch it in his mouth. "How far can you catch one of those?" Marinette challenged him.

"What are you getting at, Bugaboo?" Adrien gave her a smug expression. Marinette leaned across the table again. "You know what I mean. Didn't we play that game as kids?" Adrien's schedule had been so hectic that he honestly couldn't remember if they had or not. Marinette waved the question away with her hand. "It's fine, here." She pulled a grape from the vine and held it into the air. "Whoever catches it the farthest gets whatever they want tonight in bed." She smirked and peered at him through her dark lashes. Adrien perked up with a smirk on his soft lips. "Alright, deal. Throw it at me." Adrien backed up and waited for her to throw it. Marinette smiled and took aim, as he waited for her. She arced the grape and he effortlessly caught it between his lips. She gasped at him and pouted, as he pulled a grape from the vine. "Ready, LB?" He brightly smiled at her and she got ready with a determined expression. He chuckled and arced it, as she backed up to catch it. It missed her mouth and hit her in the nose and she laughed. "You get to be my ladybug for the evening!" Adrien poked her in the nose and she giggled, before she picked a grape and threw it at his chest. "That's how you're gonna be?" Adrien smiled at her like a boy in a toy store. "Yep." Marinette grabbed a few grapes and ran away, as Adrien chased her around the kitchen. She giggled and looked back at him as he caught up to her, while grapes flew around the kitchen. He suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist and caught her. He brought his lips to her neck and she giggled. "You're tickling me Adrien! Stop!" He kept brushing his lips on her neck, making her squirm and lash out into a fit of giggles and screams. "Never! M'Lady." Adrien tickled up her sides and she fell to the floor in a fit of hysterical laughter. She rolled onto her back and he looked into her blue bell eyes, as her laughing slowly turned into a hum. His laugh faded into a soft smile and he brushed her hair behind her ear. She searched from his green eyes to his soft pink lips. Marinette licked her lips and he bent down to steal sweet wine infused kisses from her parted lips, while his hand slid up the hem of her shirt and caressed her breast.

Marinette couldn't believe how well rested she felt. Sure, she was a little sore from all their activities last night after they returned from the kitchen, but she couldn't remember the last time she had slept so soundly. Maybe it had something to do with the content boy breathing lightly in his sleep next to her. He would randomly tighten his grip around her middle in his sleep and nuzzle his face into her hair. Marinette felt her heart ache with the insane amount of love she had for this boy.

Her phone randomly began to vibrate and she reached beside the bed and pulled her purse towards her. She pulled her phone from her bag and squinted at the screen to see it was Alya. She moved Adrien's arm from her body and gently slid out of the bed, trying not to wake him. She made her way to his bathroom and slid the door shut behind her, as she answered with a quiet voice. "Salut?"

"Where have you been? Your parents have been calling me." Alya put a hand on her hip and scolded her through the phone. Marinette cringed and looked at herself in the mirror, as she took in all of the love bites that adorned her skin. "Um… can I ask you for a huge favor?" Alya sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Don't tell me... You've been with Adrien all night."

Marinette worried her bottom lip, as she felt her cheeks begin to smolder. "I- Can you just make some excuse for me?" She begged her best friend as Alya's mouth dropped open. Apparently her best friend hadn't _actually_ thought she had spent the night with Adrien. Alya began to shake her head. She knew that her friend was probably judging her right now, but with how often she covered for her and Nino… Alya owed her. She decided to pull out the ace to help things along. "C'mon. You know how many times I've covered for you and Nino…" Marinette smirked, catching her best friend in the trap. Alya perked up and suddenly agreed without complaint. "Alright, alright, girl. But that wasn't playing fair. I'll cover for you, but this is the first and last time." Alya jabbed her finger into the air with an accusing expression. Marinette burst out into a fit of giggles. "Okay, okay. This is the last time. As long as… you don't make me make any more excuses for your Nino fun." She heard Alya groan on the other side of the phone and it made her laugh harder. "Fine, deal." Alya sighed and slid her hand down her face. "Still not cool, M." She hung up on a hysterically laughing Marinette.

A knock came to the door, before it slowly slid open. "Mari?" Adrien's voice was soft and groggy from sleeping. "It's early. Who are you talking to?" He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, before peering at her. Marinette jumped at the sound of his voice. "Alya called. I asked her to make an excuse for why I didn't make it home last night." She sheepishly smiled at him, as her cheeks caught fire. Adrien smirked at her and walked towards her. She backed up and bumped into his bathroom sink. She reached behind her and clutched the marble counter, as he pressed himself against her. Adrien softly touched her cheek and tilted her head slightly up. He looked into her blue bell eyes and brought his lips close to hers. She sighed and her eyes sparked in the bathroom lights. Her lips barely brushed hers and it felt like the world stood still. Until her phone went off again, interrupting their little moment. "Sorry, I should get that." Marinette softly giggled and looked at her phone to see it was from an unknown number.

"Bonjour." Marinette answered her phone, while Adrien walked away toward the massive shower. She watched him reach over his shoulder and pull his shirt over his head. Everything he did was distracting and it made it hard for her to concentrate on the conversation on the phone. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle Dupain Cheng. This is M. Laurent from _L'autre Maison de Couture_." M. Laurent's voice filtered through the phone, but she was too busy watching Adrien slowly slipping his pants down his hips, as he peered over his shoulder with a smirk and a wink. "Mademoiselle Dupain Cheng?" Laurent tried to grab her attention in fear that he had lost her. Marinette shook her head to clear it. "Yes. Sorry. I'm listening." Marinette sighed, as he slowly walked into the shower and disappeared behind the wall. She relaxed against the counter and was relieved that she could fully concentrate on the phone call now. "I was calling to let you know that you got the job." M. Laurent waited for a scream or some form of excitement to spill from the girl on the other side of the line, but when nothing happened for a moment, he felt slightly let down. Marinette ran around with excitement and tripped, before she caught herself, as her phone skid across the tiled floor. She cringed and picked it up, flipping her hair away from her face. "Yes! Thank you Monsieur Laurent! I can't wait to start! Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to show my talents. I won't let you down!" Marinette panted, trying to catch her breath. "No, thank you, Mademoiselle Dupain Cheng. We look forward to working with you." Laurent hung up and Marinette threw her phone onto the counter, before she ran into the shower screaming with excitement.

Adrien was facing the wall, letting the water rinse the soap from his hair. She leapt at him and wrapped her arms around him. Adrien turned to face her and slicked his wet hair back, as the warm water cascaded down his muscular body. "You do know your fully clothed in my shower right?" He raised an eyebrow at her. Marinette giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, as she repetitively kissed him on the lips. He chuckled and gently pushed her away from him. "What is it?" Marinette suddenly became more animated and her blue eyes went wide, as she smiled up at him. "I got it! I got the job in Milan!" Adrien suddenly picked her up and swung her around with a smile. "I'm so happy for you! I told you that you could do it!" He set her down and she spun around with her arms in the air. "I'm so excited! I have to pack! I have to figure out what to wear! I have to buy new outfits! I have to-" She trailed on and slowly dropped her arms, as she looked at a saddened Adrien. "I have to- leave- a -kitty- be- behind…" She suddenly realized what working in Milan entitled and suddenly her excitement drained from her body and her shoulders slumped. "It's fine, Bugaboo. I'm happy for you." Adrien put a smile on his face just for her. His heart was broken, but he knew that she had to take this opportunity. It was good for her and her future. "You're gonna rock their world, Mari. I believe in you." He winked at her and she smiled with tears in her eyes, as she ran into him and hugged him, capturing his lips with hers, as the water rained down on them. Adrien didn't know when he would see her again. Or if he would even see her again. But he sure hoped that he would. He never imagined having to live without her light in his life, but this was something he had to endure. He could endure the darkness for a little bit. He could fight his own shadows. At least, Adrien tried like hell to believe that he could. He peered past her with glowing neon green eyes, as he let the tears mix with the water. He pressed his lips against her shoulder and held her tight. Held her like she was going to dissipate like a vivid dream. Hugged her one last time, before he wouldn't be able to feel her around him again. He wanted to make her forget for now about leaving, forget about how alone they would feel being apart from each other for such a long time. But he wanted to give her something to remember. Something to look back on with a smile and think of him with. So, he gave her his heart.


	5. Goodbye So Soon

The day had arrived.

She was leaving.

Adrien was trying to smile. He'd spent his whole life putting on a fake smile, he could do this for his soulmate. But it was too hard to smile. For some reason, it was just beyond him to be happy at this particular moment in time. It wasn't like Marinette didn't know. The arguments since she had found out she was moving to Milan had increased from nearly nothing to explosions over the smallest things. Adrien loved Marinette with all of his heart and soul, and he knew that she loved him as well. He had tried to tell her that he would move with her, that they could start a new life together. She had said she appreciated it, then let him down gently. This was something _she_ had to do by herself. She needed to know if she could make it in the industry she had dreamed of being a part of since she was a little girl. And having someone with the last name _Agreste_ would only hinder her. It hurt, but it was the truth.

Marinette was beyond excited. She had several meetings with M. Laurent and Jennifer to set up her living expenses, budget, housing accommodations, and anything else she could think of. Both M. Laurent and Jennifer had quickly become her heroes. They adored her enthusiasm in life and she adored their support. Her parents had been nothing but helpful as well, offering to spend the first few weeks with her in Milan while she got settled into her new routine. She had declined their offer as well, citing the same reasons she gave Adrien. Each time she thought of leaving her home, of leaving _Adrien_ , her heart hurt. But she _had_ to do this. She couldn't seem to find the right words to say to him to make him understand that without hurting him even more. They had gone around and around in circles about her leaving and how it would affect their relationship. She loved Adrien with every fiber of her being, but it wasn't enough for him. He wanted her to be shackled to the same life he was leading. And she just couldn't do that. So she had decided on her last night living in the bakery, that she was going to release him. She had spent so much of the night crying over her decision that she didn't even get any sleep. She was supposed to get up in the morning and have breakfast with the man she loved, and then tell him she was leaving him to his hellhole of a life. What kind of person did that make her?

As she finally rose from her tear soaked bed and walked to the bathroom to wash her face and get ready to face the day, her phone dinged. She cringed as she turned around and walked back towards her desk. She knew exactly who it was, and she was hoping for a little more time before having to deal with the coming storm.

CN: Hey love, hope you're ready to start your new adventure! Did you want me to come pick you up for breakfast, or meet you there?

Marinette winced at the empty excitement of the text. Hoping to prolong her solitude just a bit longer, she messaged him back.

LB: Only as long as I get to see your handsome face before I leave ;D I'll just meet you there. I feel like walking and taking in the sights one more time before heading out.

CN: Okay, I'll see you there. Be careful, love.

Sighing, Marinette set her phone down and started towards the bathroom again, eager to erase the heartache of the night before. She could do this. It was for his own good, as well as hers. She didn't want to end up hating him like his mother hated Gabriel at the end of their marriage.

When she walked into the small cafe they had chosen to meet at, she was greeted with a sight she both was surprised to see and expecting. Adrien had commandeered a table towards the back, with a higher wall surrounding it than all the rest. And he looked like hell. Part of Marinette was surprised that he was allowed to leave the house looking as dishevelled as he was. His normally perfectly gelled hair was in disarray, like he had been continuously running his hands through it. He was wearing a wrinkled plain black t-shirt and black denim jeans. He had black converse shoes on, making the only pop of color his glowing green eyes. But instead of glowing with happiness, they were glowing with unshed tears. He looked absolutely wrecked, and her heart clenched at the thought of hurting him even more. She rushed over to him and put her arms around him as he buried his face in her shoulder. Her eyes pricked with unshed tears as he wrapped his arms around her middle as tightly as possible. She could hear his breathing stuttering, as he whispered something over and over again. She leaned down to hear him better before snapping back up, her back rigid as her heart burst.

 _Please don't leave me all alone, Princess. Please don't leave…. Please don't leave me….. Don't leave me…. Princess… Please…._

Marinette sat on the plane to Milan and stared blankly out her window, while she leaned on her hand. Tears fell from her swollen, tired eyes. His words echoed in her mind and broke her heart over and over again. It never felt like it was going to stop. This cycle of unending pain and heartbreak would never stop. It clenched her hard with it's claws with the intent to never let go. She sniffed and let the tears continue to cascade down her cheeks. She could still feel his arms wrapped around her. Could still feel the pain of having to let him go. Of having to break him more than he already was. She cringed as the clouds that looked so peaceful out her window became the restaurant from the morning.

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 _Adrien clutched her with every ounce of his being. He felt like if he had let her go then she would disappear and leave him in the darkness. He didn't want her to leave him behind. Didn't want to let her go. Didn't want her to leave him to his monochromatic life. Where he would have no color or light anymore. There would be no soft giggles to create music against the stark baritones of his father's wants._

 _Marinette pried his hands from her. Her eyes shook and she didn't make eye contact with him. She couldn't. She knew she wouldn't be able to say what she had to if she focused on him and his expression. If she saw the hurt and the pain in his eyes. "Um…" The words got caught in her throat and wouldn't come out._

" _I- I need to talk about- about us." Her voice broke with each word. "I- I know this isn't fair and that- that what I'm about to say is going to hurt. Is going to- to cause a lot of pain…" Her voice shook as she burst out these words of certain destruction._

 _Adrien felt sick to his stomach and didn't want to hear anything that she was about to say. He couldn't hear it. He just wanted her to say that she was wrong. That she wanted him to be with her in Milan. To travel with her there._

" _I just- I think it would be eas-" She hiccuped and froze up, before she cleared her throat. "If we split up for- for now. Not forever. I mean who knows… maybe it'll work out later on down the road. Once I get my feet planted and I get myself to where I want- need to be. I-"_

 _Adrien cut her off as he set his napkin on the table and stood up. "I'll be back. I- I just- give me a moment." He walked away from the table towards the bathroom. He didn't want to be upset in front of her. He didn't want her to see the pain that was ravaging his heart like a blaze that would never be put out. The pain that was choking the life from him. The ache that felt like clawed hands gripping his neck, causing him to not be able to breathe. Ripping at him and tearing him to pieces. Leaving him gasping and clutching at his worn out shirt, as he slammed the handicap bathroom stall open and slid down to the tile with his hair clutched in his fingertips. How his cries rang out and bounced off of the walls. How he didn't want to go on anymore if he didn't have her. His light. His life. His ladybug. He sobbed and screamed out, as he punched the wall behind him over and over again._

 _Marinette sat at the table and clutched her head in her hands. She took a shuddering breath as she waved over the waiter and paid him for his time, before she walked to the bathroom. She looked around her for anyone and snuck into the mens room to hear soft sobs coming from the big stall._

" _Kitty?" Marinette softly spoke and shut the door behind her._

" _Go away." Adrien's voice croaked, as he sniffed and wiped his nose with angry forest hued eyes. "I don't want to talk about it. Just go. Go to Milan. Leave me. It's fine. I'll be fine." His voice faded with that last part and he hid in his folded arms on top of his drawn up knees._

" _Adrien… I- I'm sorry." Marinette touched the stall door and leaned her forehead onto it. "I- it hurts me too. More than you know." Adrien shook his head and spat back at her with words filled with anger and mistrust._

" _YOU DON'T! YOU JUST THINK YOU DO! YOU THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE IN MY SHOES! BUT YOU DON'T! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE LOOKED AT LIKE AN OBJECT. JUST SOMETHING TO HANG YOUR FATHER'S CREATIONS ON! I'm NOTHING! NOTHING, Mari! NOTHING….." Adrien cried out, before he suddenly gave in and whispered. "I'm nothing without you."_

 _Marinette slid to her knees and reached under the door, waiting for his hand to touch hers. For some sign of forgiveness from him, but his hand never reached for hers. "Just leave me. I wish you all of the luck in the world, Bugaboo. I truly do. But I just can't see your face anymore."_

 _Marinette's heart shattered. She couldn't believe that she was the cause of her Kitty's destruction. She never once considered that he could react this badly to her leaving. She was sorely tempted to change her mind about letting him come with her. But first…._

 _Marinette slammed her fist against the stall door. Enough was enough. Getting up, she strode towards the bathroom door, ignoring the soft "Marinette…" she heard as she walked away. He probably thought she was giving up. Leaving him. But what she had in mind was far from it. She flipped the lock on the door and dragged the trash can over against the door as extra insurance no one would disturb them. Once she was satisfied everything was in its proper place, she turned her sights back towards the still closed stall door. She was DONE. Done with the heartache that came with doing the right thing for her future. Done with leaving behind the one person who made her complete. She would show him. She would let him know just how deeply she was affected by her decision to move on with her life. Everything was not as easy for her as he seemed to think it was and it was time to show him how much she was going to miss his touch._

 _Marinette banged on the door so hard it caused Adrien to nearly jump out of his tear soaked clothes. "Open this door right this second, Adrien Agreste!" He had never heard her sound so absolutely focused and determined. He snapped up and rushed to the door before flinging the lock back. He jumped back as she shoved the door open with so much force it nearly bounced back and knocked them both over. Before Adrien could even blink, her mouth was upon his. This kiss was so much different than the ones he had experienced with her prior to this. This was pure desperation, and he couldn't help but respond to it. He grabbed her roughly as she scratched his scalp tugging his hair to get him closer. His whole body shivered as she bit his lip in her quest to consume him. He groaned as her tongue finally forced entrance into his mouth. She stole his breath as his hands frantically pulled at her shirt. He wanted her to remember what he did to her. This was no time for sentimentality. He wanted to brand her, so that no one dared to touch her pristine skin in his absence. His lips broke away from her frantic kisses and started to blaze a trail down her neck, stopping every few paces to roughly suck a mark into her pulse point. He could feel her pert nipples through the thin fabric as he pressed every inch of his body against her. While he was ravishing her neck, his hands slipped under her shirt to pull it roughly off her body. He broke away to lift it over her head and deposited it in a heap at their feet. In the brief moments their lips weren't connected, a litany of sorry's fell from Marinette's lips. But Adrien didn't want any more words. He wanted action. He wanted to feel something, before his life would be reduced to nothing but numbness._

 _Adrien spun Marinette around to where she was facing the wall of the bathroom. His arms threaded around her waist to start working the buttons on her capris while his lips continued to lavish her neck. Using both hands, he finally got her capris unzipped and started to shimmy them down her hips, pulling her panties down with them. He broke away from sucking on her skin to yank them all the way down. He nudged her to lift her feet up to completely free her from their constraints. She expected him to return to his assault on her neck as soon as his task below was completed, but she was surprised when nothing happened. She looked over her shoulder at him, only to find him staring at the ladybug tattoo that adorned her left shoulder blade. The expression on his face was hard to look at, reverence warring with betrayal, as he lifted a hand to trace around the edges. He seemed to snap out of whatever thoughts were imprisoning him, because he looked into her eyes with a fire she had never seen in him before. He stepped up to her body and roughly reached around to dip a finger into her folds. He didn't wait to see if she was ready before he thrust a finger inside her. She gasped and bit her bottom lip as her legs nearly gave out. As he started to pump his finger in and out of her, his tongue traced around the ladybug. Marinette couldn't explain it, but his tongue being on her tattoo did things to her body that she couldn't handle. She came around his finger with a loud cry. Before she could even recover from her orgasm, he spun her again to where they were face to face once more._

 _Adrien quickly shucked off his pants while lifting his shirt above his head, depositing them all into the pile of clothes next to them. He distantly thought he should be concerned with the fact that only a flimsy lock separated them from a whole cafe full of people, but he couldn't bring himself to care. The world would have to be ending for him to stop making Marinette make those delicious moans. And even then he would not abandon her. He needed to get these emotions out and burn them into her._

 _He crashed his lips to hers at the same time she wrapped her fingers around his thick shaft. She started to roughly pump him, desperation causing a pleasure/pain mix that was as excruciating as it was heady. If he wanted to be rough, she could always match him. She wanted him to understand that this wasn't easy for her. She would spend her first days in a different country missing her other half, and she wanted him to remember that. As they broke apart, she kissed down his chest until her mouth found a nipple. She flicked her tongue out against it before lightly biting it. Adrien cried out and tangled his hands in her hair. She continued to descend down towards where her hand was still pumping his cock. She pulled her hand away as she wrapped her lips around the tip of his aching dick, sucking away the thin stream of precum sitting on his head. She had barely gotten a few moments to hollow out her cheeks before he was yanking her back up. She welcomed the roughness, wanting to brand this memory into her brain for all the lonely nights ahead she had to look forward to._

 _He entered her with tears streaming down his face and his eyes locked on hers. She wanted more friction, so she wrapped both her legs around his waist. He wrapped one arm around her as he pressed her back into the wall, and he grabbed her other hand and intertwined their fingers together. He slammed their intertwined hands over her head as he strove to bring her to the edge. As he cried out with effort, she took her hand from his to place it on his cheek._

" _Adrien…. Let go, Chaton. I'll always love you. There will never be another person in my heart. It's always been you, and it will always BE you. Let go for me…" She placed a single tender kiss on his lips before he started to shake with his release. Something about the raw emotion of his orgasm touched something deep within her, causing her own release._

 _He finally set her back on the ground and turned to pick up his clothes. Suddenly, he was too close. Too close to making her change everything she had planned out for her future. She needed to leave before she threw it all away for this broken boy in front of her. It was horribly selfish of her to know exactly what she was doing to him, and yet still do it anyways; but it couldn't change her mind. She rushed through getting dressed, managing to get fully clothed by the time he had his pants and shoes on. She wanted to say something, ANYTHING, but she didn't know how to make this better. She reached out to lay a hand on his shoulder, drawing it back like it had been burned when she saw his flinch. Her throat closed up and the tears burned her eyes as she turned around and walked away from him for the last time._

Marinette had waited outside of the cafe for a few minutes for him to approach her, before she had left her heart at the door and walked away. He had never came out. So she had boarded her plane with a heavy heart, unable to be excited any longer for what lay ahead.

Adrien felt like a great weight had been placed on his shoulders as he slowly walked to the mirrors in the bathroom. He was hyper aware of the fact that she was no longer in the building. He could feel her absence around him like a swirling black pit, one that he was about to dive headlong into. Staring unseeing at his reflection, he felt all of the tension gather. Seeking a release. He backed up until his back hit the wall, disgusted with himself. His skin crawled as the tears continued to stream down his face. He turned and put his forehead against the wall, hoping the coolness of the tile would calm the fire burning in his soul. With a heart wrenching cry, he slammed his head against the wall. He spiraled into the black hole as he pounded his head against it over and over again until the tiles cracked and his head bled. He didn't care because he couldn't feel a damn thing. Adrien could care less what happens to him from that moment on. How long he wallowed there, he had no way of knowing. It felt like years before he finally found the strength to move away from the wall. As he walked towards the stall to grab his shirt, something caught his eye. His shoulder, which had housed his black cat tattoo for over 3 years now, was empty. He waited for any sort of emotion at this finding to well up, but nothing happened. With a sense of finality, he realized this meant she was truly gone from his life.

Still…. she walked away.


	6. Arrived

Marinette's plane landed and she disembarked in a rush, nearly tripping several times as she struggled to carry all her luggage. On the short flight over, she had cried herself out. Her decision was made, the damage was done, and there was nothing she could do to take any of it back. So, as the captain called for landing procedures, she had steeled her heart and focused her resolve on moving forward. She could flounder in her sorrow once she arrives at her new apartment. Until then, she had a million things to do to get ready for her new life. Her boss had texted her that morning with the name of the car service that would be picking her up once she arrived. She snagged a luggage cart and loaded her entire life onto it before wheeling it out of the automatic doors to the long line of black cars that waited just outside. She found the car with the man holding a sign that read _L'autre Maison de Couture_ and rolled her cart up to it. She had been working on her Italian, but it was still woefully inadequate. Thankfully she was able to just point at herself and speak her name and the man seemed to understand her. She got into the backseat as he loaded her stuff into the trunk. After she was settled in, she texted her parents to let them know that she had arrived safely. She considered texting Adrien as well. But like the coward she was, she decided to wait until she was at her apartment and semi settled in before trying to contact him. She was sure the wound was still a bit too fresh for him to want to hear from her so soon.

An hour long car ride later, she was standing in the middle of a fully furnished apartment on the fourth floor of a sleek modern building. M. Laurent had assured her that the building housed several different fashion designers from all over the world. This both made her more comfortable and extremely nervous. She was still having a hard time seeing the same thing as M. Laurent saw in her. But she was determined to excel as much as she could. She had left behind everything for this, and she wouldn't settle for anything less than the best. Rolling up her sleeves, she opened up her first box and started to unpack.

Hours later, after she had thoroughly exhausted herself unpacking all of her belongings and rearranging the furniture to her liking in all of the rooms, setting up her craft room and getting her laptop and tablet all synced up, she finally allowed herself to stop. The respite from her overwhelming feelings of loneliness had exhausted her physical body, but with the energy to move gone, so was the energy to hold back the tears. She took a deep breath as she picked up her phone, her heart hammering as she brought up Adrien's contact information. She should video call him so that she could see his face, but she was too afraid of his rejection. So, she opted to send him a text. That way, if he didn't respond, she could just tell herself that he didn't hear it or that he was already asleep.

LB: Just wanted to let you know that I'm all set up and have a few moments to _chat_ if you are available…. Let me know? Missing you already.

A few seconds later she broke down as her phone vibrated with an incoming message.

CN: [VZW FREE MESSAGE] Message not delivered - Recipient has blocked incoming SMS.

So that was the end. He was no longer willing to be a part of her life. He had blocked her out of his life and his heart, and there was nothing she could do about it. She wasn't expecting to never talk to him again after what they had done in the bathroom at the cafe. But it seemed that choice was already made for her. With streaming eyes, she brought up Alya's contact info and hit the video call button. She knew that Alya was waiting to hear from her and get the low down on her apartment building and if she had seen any famous people. She just hoped Alya would understand that she was broken beyond repair currently. Suddenly Alya's grinning face was on Marinette's phone screen.

"Hey girl! How're you liking Mil-" Marinette's face had finally registered with Alya. "Oh honey, what's wrong? Did something happen?" The smile dropped from Alya's face as her concerned voice filtered through the speaker. The worried look on her best friend's face set Marinette off, and she couldn't stop the gut wrenching sobs that bubbled out of her for a long time afterwards.

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Six months later, Marinette collapsed on her couch after getting home from another long day at the office. It was the beginning of spring, and Marinette's days were filled with sketches of summer dresses and bolts of summertime colored fabrics. She rolled her eyes at the ten emails that had been sent to her by her assistant Veronica in the time it took her to get from the office to her apartment. Some days it was surreal for her to imagine that this was her life. She had quickly moved up the ranks in her company, so much so that M. Laurent had moved to Milan permanently to oversee the "most promising fashion designer of the decade". She still blushed each time he would teasingly say that when she was in earshot. He had given her a huge office right down the hall from his, and an assistant to manage all her appointments and meetings since she was always in such demand. Jennifer had relocated when M. Laurent moved, and she spent a lot of time with the older woman outside of work. It was nice to have familiar faces from back home mixed in with all the new colleagues she had come to know in her time in Milan. Her parents had already come to visit her just last month, and were impressed with the life she had built in such a short time. Naturally they were very careful to not mention a certain blonde haired model, for which Marinette was eternally grateful, but they delighted in filling her in on everything she was missing out on back home. She listened with dark glee as they had told her that Chloe's father was arrested for embezzlement and Chloe was left with nothing to her name but the clothes on her back. Her mother had admonished her for laughing, but she just couldn't find it in her heart to feel sorry for Chloe. Especially since Alya had let slip that Chloe had made her move as soon as Marinette left on Adr-. Nope. Not going to go there again. Marinette had kept those feelings successfully repressed for nearly six months, and she had no intention of letting them escape now.

She frowned as she looked at the clock on the wall next to her front door. Alya had become nearly religious in her weekly calls to check on Marinette and swap work stories from the week. But according to the clock, she was now almost fifteen minutes late in calling. This wasn't enough to really concern Marinette, but it did give her pause. That really wasn't like Alya. Even with them being so far apart, their friendship was as close as ever. Marinette could honestly say that she probably wouldn't have made it in Milan if it wasn't for Alya's unflinching support and motivation. Marinette set her glass of wine down on the table. Maybe something had happened to Alya's phone to where she couldn't tell what time it was. She would just call her and leave a message, and if she didn't hear back from her by the time she had showered, she would call Nino. Just as she was getting ready to head to the bathroom for her shower, her phone screen lit up. Alya's picture buzzed at Marinette from the table top. Sighing with relief, Marinette hit the Accept button and waited for the video feed to start.

"You had me worried, Als. I thought maybe that rival website had finally found you and kidnapped you." Marinette said with a smile on her face.

"Girl, please. They wouldn't know how to handle all of this and you know it!" Alya's face materialized out of the darkness of the screen surrounding her.

"Where are you? It's so dark I can hardly see your face." Marinette scrunched her nose as she tried to catch a glimpse of Alya's surroundings.

"Actually, that's a bit of a story in and of itself. I'm in a car, bound for adventure!" Alya flung an arm out with a dramatic expression on her face before cracking up laughing. "But, I only have a few minutes to talk before I have to go. Secret mission and all that. So, spill. How was your work week and have you met a man yet?" Alya brought her hand back around to wag a finger at the video screen. This had become routine for the beginning of their phone conversations. She would only have a few minutes to talk, she would ask Mari if she had met someone, and then they would spend the next hour laughing their asses off at totally random stuff from their respective jobs.

Marinette launched into a tirade about the newest designer on the floor with her, who thought _his_ ideas were better than everyone else's and treated the rest of the staff like garbage. Mari was surprised when Alya interrupted her after only a few minutes of complaining.

"Girl, that sounds awful… But I'm going to have to let you go now. I've arrived at my destination, according to my GPS at least. So, hugs and kisses until next time, okay?" Alya winked at her and blew her a kiss.

"Oh, of course! Shoot me a text when you get back home for the evening. I don't know what you've got planned, but I'll worry until I know you're safe and sound." Mari smiled at her and waved before hanging up.

"Well, shit. Now what am I going to do for the rest of my evening….." Marinette grumbled as she walked over to her nightstand to plug in her phone to its charger. She didn't want to risk it being dead if Alya suddenly got free and was able to call back. A few knocks on the door startled her, and she almost tripped over the rug at the end of her bed before righting herself and rushing to look through the peephole. Her jaw dropped and she flung the door open to reveal her best friend, who was positively beaming at her.

"SURPRISE!" Alya screamed as she dropped her bags and flung her arms around her best friend, pulling her into a bone crushing hug.

"ALYA! What are you doing here?!" Mari tried to come up with the words to express to her bestie how much it meant to her that she would surprise her like this, but she just couldn't get them past the lump in her throat. She had been so lonely here, even with the new friends and her wonderful boss, but it didn't really hit her until Alya was standing in front of her. She gripped Alya like she was her lifeline tying her to this world.

"I told you, I'm bound for adventure! You don't know it yet, but you are too! Now, show me all around this place and then hop your ass in the shower. I'll be going through your clothes and picking out the perfect club outfit for you to get laid in while you're scrubbing the work off ya. Sexy Mari is about to come out and play!" Alya roared with laughter at the dumbfounded expression on Mari's face. She pushed past her and set her bags on the couch before whistling at her surroundings. "Damn girl, I know you said it was nice but, shit, this is _nice_."

Marinette finally unfroze and closed the front door before turning and walking towards Alya.

"Als… can't we just hang out and watch a movie like we used to do?" Marinette smiled at her and batted her eyelashes. Alya looked at her with her hands on her hips and pursed lips. She walked towards her best friend and turned her towards the shower. She gave her a small push.

"To the shower with you! You're going out on our little adventure whether you like it or not. You need this, and don't 'no ma'am' me!" Marinette giggled and raised her hands in defeat, as she made her way to her bathroom to clean up. Alya shook her head and searched the lavish apartment for Marinette's bedroom. She opened each door, before she found it. Alya opened the door and stepped inside with glee, as she took in her beautifully decorated bedroom. "Damn girl… seriously? My house isn't even decorated this pretty." She shook her head and began to go through her walk in closet for an outfit. She pushed hanger after hanger of clothing choices aside until 'the one' caught her eye. It was a matte black a-line dress with thin straps that smoothly curved into a deep 'v' neckline and dipped below the breasts. It came in at the waist before it went out at the hips. The hem stopped about mid-thigh. She yanked it down from the clothing bar and ran over to go through her shelves of designer heels.

Alya picked a strappy silver pair of stilettos that had white rhinestones accenting the bands across the toes. She quickly carried the dress and shoes over to Marinette's bed and laid them out for her. Marinette walked out of her bathroom and looked at the dress on the bed. She covered her mouth, as she stared at the black dress. She hadn't looked at it in ages. Even when she had hung it up she had paid as little attention to it as possible. Yet now she was forced to look at it. Alya walked in to find Marinette just standing there with the hem of the skirt of the dress in her shaking hand, while she sniffled. "What's wrong?" Alya looked at her best friend with a worried expression. Marinette shook her head and cleared her throat. "Nothing. I'm fine. Thank you, Als." She picked up the dress and took it into her walk in closet to put it on. Alya sat on Marinette's bed slightly confused by her reaction.

Marinette unzipped the dress and stepped into it. She pulled the zipper up her back and let out a deep sigh, as she looked at herself in the full length mirror. She slid her hands down the skirt and sighed. Tears burned her eyes, but she refused to cry anymore. Adrien had bought her the dress to go to one of his father's fashion show after parties. She had been trying to forget about this dress since she hung it up in her closet. She hadn't had the heart to part with it. Plus it was a stunning dress. Marinette straightened her back and sat down on the long pink bench to fasten the buckles on her heels around her ankles. She stood up and spread her hands down the skirt again. The dress hugged her bust just enough to accentuate her breasts. The heels combined with the short dress made her legs appear longer. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she got ready to model her new look for Alya. Marinette opened the closet and Alya's mouth fell open at the sight of her. "Well?" Marinette did a small spin for her and put a hand on her hip, as she slightly turned her torso to show it off a bit more with one foot slightly behind the other. "Girl! That looks amazing on you!" Alya burst out with excitement. Marinette focused all of her attention on her best friend and not on the memories of the dress that she wore.

"So, what are you wearing then?" Marinette put her hands on her hips and looked at Alya with a competitive smirk. Alya gave a smug grin and walked out of the bedroom to her bag. She unzipped it and Marinette watched her pull out a satin, crimson hued dress. It was a halter wrap dress that had a low neckline and it tied on the side of her hip in a relaxed bow. Natural pleats ran across her hips to the bow and it was just below her ass, barely leaving anything to anyone's imagination. Marinette felt the fabric and took in it's smooth cool texture. "That's stunning, Als." Alya squealed and ran over to her bathroom to change into it. She came out wearing it with satin strappy black heels that criss crossed and tied at the back of her calves.

Marinette was suddenly pushed into one of her kitchen chairs and Alya began to work on her hair. She plugged in a curling iron and began to do Marinette's make up. She swiped on layering shades of greys and blacks until she achieved a smokey eye. "Close your eyes." Alya scolded her and Marinette rolled her eyes and shut them. She took liquid eyeliner and winged it at the corners of her eyes into a perfect cat eye. She opened up a tube of lipstick in a deep rich shade of dark red and touched Marinette's chin. Alya applied the lipstick to her lips, before she stepped away and picked up the curling iron. She parted Marinette's dark hair to the side and began to curl it in soft waves. Before long she was done and working on her own hair and make-up.

"Are you sure about this, Alya?" Marinette looked over at her from the hand mirror in her hand. "Definitely." Alya winked at her and touched her best friend's shoulders with her hands. Marinette smiled and an errant thought about what Adrien would say if he saw her came to mind, but she quickly pushed the thought back. She didn't want to ruin the makeup that Alya had worked so hard on by starting to cry. Alya swung her purse over her shoulder and stood with on hand on her hip. "Ready?" Marinette quickly grabbed her purse and smiled. "Let's go have an adventure!" She raised her fist into the air with a bright smile. It may have been forced, but she was going to try to have as much fun as she could. Alya yelled out with excitement and they left the apartment and made their way to Alya's car. She unlocked it and Marinette got into the passenger seat, while Alya got into the driver's seat. Once Marinette shut her door, Alya started the car and turned the dubstep music up.

"Is this Nino's mix?" Marinette looked over at Alya and she smiled at Marinette. "Girl… It's his newest one!" Alya smiled and sped off towards the club. Marinette danced in her seat with her best friend to Nino's new music. "How is Nino?" Marinette asked as she caught her breath. "He's doing good. He got a big gig at one of the most bumping clubs in Paris." Alya seemed to perk up with the thought. She remembered how excited he had been when he had told her the good news. It had been one of the cutest things she had ever seen. "He came running into our flat and he lifted me into the air and spun me around just to tell me that he had this new gig at the biggest club in Paris." Alya laughed at the memory as her cheeks grew warm. "That's amazing, Als! Tell him congratulations for me." Marinette smiled at her as they reached their destination. Alya drove down into the underground parking garage and found a spot near the elevator.

Marinette opened her door and nearly tripped out of it. She had been wearing heels a lot more than she used to, but she still wasn't accustomed to them. Alya laughed at her best friend. "Girl, we need to work on your walk." Marinette crossed her arms over her chest and pouted at Alya. "I've _been_ working on my walk, thank you very much. Now let's have fun!" Marinette giggled and walked towards the elevator, leaving Alya to catch up to her. They walked up to the front of the club and flashed their at the door. The music pumped through the building and they walked inside and took it all in. The place was massive and had tall ceilings. Lights flashed around them and a expansive dance floor was filled with people. Alya led Marinette over to one of the four bars that lined the outer walls. Her best friend leaned on the bar and ordered them drinks. They took their drinks and leaned their backs on the bar.

"The bartender is pretty cute…" Alya nudged Marinette's shoulder with her own. Marinette glanced over her shoulder with her drink to her lips and noticed his messy blonde hair and green eyes. She shook her head. "Not really… my type." Alya shook her head and sipped on her martini. "You have to move on, Mari. I'm sorry. I wish I could say that you should hold out for him, but…" Marinette tried to not focus on her words and how much they hurt.

"Hey…" A male voice chimed in from beside Marinette, while another spoke from Alya's side. Marinette glanced over to see the man behind the voice. He wore a button down shirt that was too tight and jeans that were a few sizes too small. His brown hair was gelled back like he had been trying too hard. The man on Alya's side was wearing a plaid short sleeved button down with tight slacks and a belt. His shirt was tucked in and accentuated his rounded stomach. His dark hair was styled messily. Alya and Marinette took in the smell of sweat and alcohol instantaneously. It took every ounce of self control just to not vomit from the smell alone.

"I'm Carlo and this is my best friend, Pace." The man beside Marinette spoke and took her hand in his. He wiggled his eyebrows and went to kiss her hand, but Marinette yanked her hand away. "Spicy…" Alya laughed at her hidden joke that was more directed at their scent than anything else. Marinette burst out laughing at her best friend. "So, what brings you two beautiful women here tonight?" Carlo smiled at them and leaned his elbow on the bar table.

Marinette scooted closer to Alya with her drink in her hand. "Why don't you take that flowery shit somewhere else?" Alya smiled at him and waved him off.

"We're here every night. Ya know, partying it up… as we do." Pace leaned into Alya as he spoke, after which she scoffed and pushed him back by his chest.

"And we're leaving." Alya grabbed Marinette's hand and pulled her from her seat. The two men stepped in their way with dark smiles that promised trouble.

"One dance and maybe a couple drinks?" Carlo winked at Marinette while Pace licked his lips. "We're good." Marinette looked at them with a hostile glare.

"Yeah, I said BACK THE FUCK OFF!" Alya shouted at the two men.

The two men shared a secretive look before they smoothly smiled once more. "And we said let us buy you a drink. Just one. Come on.. It'll be fun… I'll buy you any kind you want. Any price. Just name it. Please… come on… Take you in a drive in my pretty sports car… hmm?" Pace leaned further into Alya and she grimaced at the disgusting man in front of her.

"We're just gonna… go…" Marinette tried to squeeze past them, but they wouldn't let her through. Marinette shared a slightly alarmed look with Alya. "C'mon bello zaffiro...I think you should let us buy you something. I mean," Carlo's voice took on a wheedling quality, "we walked all the way over to you two nice ladies. At least let us do something for you. I'll feel- _we'll_ bad if we don't." Carlo brightly smiled at Marinette, but something behind it was unsettling and didn't feel right. "You know you want another delicious drink… I can order you the best one in all of Italy. The most known drink that is loved by many of us natives here. Just say the word. Don't you want to try it out? It's delicious… You won't regret it…" Carlo begged her with a shit eating grin. Marinette cringed at his words and wanted to run, but they were trapped.

Suddenly two hands were clapped on both men's shoulders. Marinette could tell by the way both men winced that the grip wasn't friendly.

"Boys, boys, boys…. Can't you see these two extraordinary women are tired of your shit? Hell, even the post across the room has a better chance of getting laid tonight than you two do. Now, I believe they said to… What was it now..? Oh yes, ' _back the fuck off_ '... So I think it's time for you both to get the fuck out of here. Adesso." Both men were suddenly yanked off balance and shuffled to the side by a tall man. Apparently these men knew the interrupter, because they took one look at him and nearly ran away with their tails tucked between their legs. Marinette breathed a sigh of relief, briefly closing her eyes to will away the stress she had been under the past fifteen minutes or so. She heard Alya gasp, and her eyes snapped open. She was already exhausted, had been since the moment she had gotten home, and her tolerance for the shit going on at this club was nearly nonexistent by this point. She opened her mouth to let the newcomer know that while she was grateful for the assistance, she was ready to go home for the night.

"Marinette, right?" A deep baritone startled her into silence. A gentle hand gripped her hand and raised it to the lips of their savior. His shaggy midnight black hair ended in light blue tips. His piercing blue eyes locked onto hers and she felt the rest of the club scene dim around them. His expression was serene as he offered a gentle smile, and Marinette distantly noticed that he had black gauges in his ears. The fingers wrapped around her hand were long; musician's fingers, and had nails that were painted black. She followed the pale line of his arm up to find a silky short sleeved black dress shirt covering defined biceps. Her gaze skipped down his chest, which she noticed was narrow with a hint of muscle, to the slim line of his stomach. A shocking thought made Marinette wonder what she would find if she removed his shirt. A shiny belt held up black skinny jeans, with Italian made black dress shoes adorning his feet. Her eyes snapped back to his as she suddenly realized he was still waiting for her to respond.

"Yes.. My name is ma- ma- Marinette." Marinette shut her mouth in horror to stop her sudden stuttering. She had never stuttered a day in her life, but her body seemed to be in a state of frozen animation due to the mere presence of this man.

"Well, ma- ma- Marinette, I hope those men didn't give you too much trouble. If you'd like, I could go deal with them and maybe return for a dance?" Luka's gaze smoldered.

"No." His eyebrow raised and Marinette realized a half a second later that he would take that the wrong way. "I meant, no… You don't need to take care of them. I- I'm sure they won't bother us again now that you're here. Not that I mean you have to stay with us the rest of the night or anything!" Marinette's arms flailed as she slammed her mouth shut before she could do any more damage to the conversation. To her complete surprise, Luka burst out laughing.

"If you insist. But, _I_ insist you let me buy you ladies a drink to make up for their inexcusable behavior. See, my band plays at this club during the week, so I'm something of a… representative of this club, if you will. And I can't allow those creeps to give this place a bad rep. I can tell both of you are intelligent, driven women who aren't afraid to voice their opinions publicly. And I'd like to formally make it up to you both by buying you each a drink. The dance, however… Well, that's strictly for my pleasure only." Luka gave Marinette a heavy lidded gaze that caused her body to shiver with anticipation. Something about this man put her under a spell, causing her body to respond in ways it hadn't since _him_. Suddenly, Marinette wanted this. Maybe this was divine providence, this stranger coming to her rescue. Maybe this was a sign that it was time to move on and let go of the past completely. Her shy smile slid into a smirk as she leaned forward, pushing her breasts just slightly forward to catch his eye. By the quick dart downward of his gaze, she succeeded. She slid her hand out from his, only to trail it up his arm to rest on his shoulder.

"Since I've already had a drink, but I haven't gotten an opportunity to dance yet, how about me and you go have that dance, and then you can treat me and my friend to our drinks?" Marinette glanced to the side to make sure that it was okay with Alya. To her utter amazement, Alya was standing open mouthed, totally speechless for once in her life. The only thing she could manage was a slight nod before slyly smirking at Marinette. "By all means, go get 'em, girl." And with that, she turned and walked back towards the seating near the bar area.

"I guess that means I'm all yours." She said with a sultry look towards Luka. To his credit, his expression wasn't that of a panting sex crazed boy, but she could tell how much she was affecting him.

Marinette pulled him towards the dance floor by his hand while she bit her bottom lip with a soft giggle. She couldn't help but think how fun this was going to be. Luka stood there and looked down at her as she turned her back toward him. She grabbed both of his hands and rolled her hips from side to side to the ground and slowly stood up, arching her back as she rubbed her ass against the front of his jeans. He bit his bottom lip with a smirk and stared down at her as she put his hands on her hips. Marinette looked over her shoulder at him and circled her hips, brushing up against him. He spun her around to face him and he held her hips as she moved them from side to side. He rocked with her and moved his thigh to be between her thighs. She rolled her hips along his thigh and leaned back slightly with her hand on his shoulder, as she moved to the beat. He spun her around again and held her hips to him, as they rolled their hips to the slow beat of the song. He raised her hand around the back of his neck and slowly slid his fingers down her arm to her side and brushed his lips on her pulse point. She gasped softly at his soft lips on her neck, as he slowly rolled his hips into hers. She followed his lead, letting him spin her out, then back in, catching herself with her hand on his chest. She looked up at him with surprised blue eyes and parted lips. She relaxed as he bent her back with one of his hands on the small of her back. He slowly moved her from the left to the right before he yanked her back up against him. Luka peered down at her through his dark lashes and she panted as heat pooled between her thighs. He smirked darkly at her and danced her around in a circle, before he raised one of her legs and dipped her back. She quickly took her leg from his hand and spun away from him, before he ran after her and pulled her back against him. She gasped at his forceful touch and it set a flame to her skin. Marinette searched his blue eyes as he looked deeply into hers. He rolled his hips to the beat and she kept hers in time with his. The friction of him between her thighs wasn't helping her composure any. Her legs quivered and her breath caught as her cheeks flushed with each passing of his erection against her panties. Luka peered down at her, knowing his effect on her. How her cheeks were on fire and how her eyes were beginning to glaze over with need. He smirked and turned her away from him. Luka brought his lips to her neck and sucked and licked on her pulse point, causing the woman in his arms to moan and bite her bottom lip.

"Wanna get a drink?" Luka kissed up to her ear and nibbled on it, while he spoke into her ear in a deep sultry voice. A shiver ran down Marinette's spine and she almost came undone right then. The words caught in her throat and all she could do was nod.

Luka led Marinette to the bar by her hand and he tapped the bar with his middle finger. "What drink would you like?" He glanced sideways at Marinette with a smile that could set the world on fire. He raised an eyebrow and leaned on the bar waiting for her answer. Once none came, he turned his attention back to the bartender. "She'll have a Rossini." Luka winked at the unresponsive woman beside him as Alya wandered back over to them and leaned on the bar beside Marinette. "And what would you like, ma-ma-Marinette's best friend?" He gave her a dashing smile and she rolled her eyes. "I'll take a Bellini if you're buying." Luka ordered her drink too before ordering his own favorite, which was brandy straight. He passed Marinette the pink drink in a champagne glass with a strawberry decoration on the edge of the glass. Luka then gave Alya her drink. She looked at the orange color and the peach slice on the rim.

"Thank you." Alya used her glass to gesture her thanks before she took a small sip of her drink. Marinette peered into her drink with flushed cheeks and took a sip. It was sweet and delicious. She could get in trouble drinking these if she wasn't careful.

After a more than a few drinks, Marinette and Alya were feeling it. They were giggling and stumbling around each other, reminiscing about high school and the past. "How about some shots?" Luka spoke loud with a dark expression as he interrupted the two girls. He leaned into Marinette and her eyelids lowered as she smiled at him. She walked her fingers up his chest and yanked him by his shirt into a kiss. His eyes went wide in surprise before he sighed and slowly closed his eyes. He set his glass behind him on the bar and wrapped his arms around her waist. Alya ordered six shots for the two of them. Marinette pulled away from him with his shirt still gripped in her fists. He looked down at Marinette with glazed eyes and a hungry expression. Luka reached behind him to grab a shot glass. He passed it to Marinette before he took one for himself.

"To meeting two amazing women." He smiled and watched her throw the three shots back before he copied her. A new song came on and Marinette raised her arms into the air. "I LOVE THIS SONG!" She set her shot glass and his down and pulled him by his shirt to the dance floor. Luka grinned from ear to ear and allowed her to do so.

She stood away from him and dragged her hands up and into her hair as she circled her hips to the floor with her thighs spread and slowly came back up to stand up straight. She circled her hips and turned away from him. She swayed her hips with her hands in her hair and her bottom lip between her teeth and released it with a smirk over her shoulder at him. He watched her with entranced bright blue eyes. This woman would be the death of him and he knew it. He couldn't wait for the funeral. She spread her stance, locking and popping her hips to the beat. Her skirt swayed, showing off hints of skin. Luka slid towards her and grabbed her by the hips. He moved his hips with hers to the beat as she reached behind her and gripped the back of his neck with her hand. She moved with him and rocked her hips with his. She popped her hips and arched her back with the beat and he followed her. He hungrily stared down her body at her breasts and how her dancing made them bounce. She rolled her body against him and he quietly moaned into her ear causing her to gasp. He spun her around and separated her legs with his thigh. She rolled her hips along his thigh. The friction caused her panties to get wet and she clutched his shoulders, as he rolled his hips in time with hers. He brought his lips to her ear and she could feel his soft breathing. Luka flicked her earlobe with his tongue before he took it into his mouth and nibbled on it. Marinette gasped at the sensation of his warm mouth on her ear.

"You really know how to dance." His voice was the very definition of sin and she was quickly melting in his possession. He trailed his kisses down her neck and he sucked on her pulse point once again as he slid his hands up her sides barely grazing the bottom of her breasts. She circled her hips harder against him, seeking release. "We should take this somewhere else, _bella_." Luka whispered against her sensitive skin and her cheeks flushed at his nickname.

Alya watched them over her glass of water and smiled against the rim of her glass. She could see the way her best friend was reacting to his touches, how her hips were moved and dipping harder and faster against the man's thigh. "She's not going home tonight." Alya giggled and set her glass down on the bar. She made her way towards Marinette. "Hey, I'm gonna take off. You two have fun!" Alya winked and walked away, assuming Marinette heard her. But, the girl was distracted by a man in a dark outfit lavishing her neck while whispering romantic phrases in fluent italian. Alya made her way out of the club and to her car to head back to Marinette's place.

If Marinette had realized that Alya was leaving, she would've made sure to call a taxi to drive her home. She probably would've politely said goodbye to Luka, told him she had a wonderful night with him, and left with her best friend. These are all things Rational Marinette would've done. Marinette was so smashed that none of these thoughts occurred to her, she just noticed her best friend was no longer around and assumed she went back to her apartment. Giving Marinette some space to choose how the rest of her night would go. Because Alya was a great friend like that, and Marinette told herself that she would make sure and thank Alya the first opportunity she got for being such a great friend. But for right now, she had a sexy man staring into her eyes questioning her on what she wanted to do next. Something about having that choice intoxicated her. And she knew exactly what she wanted, moreover _who_ she wanted.

As if he could sense her decision, he gripped her hand in his and led her out of the club. He stopped at the valet stand and spoke to the man standing there, while Marinette stood off to the side with her arms wrapped around her to ward off the nights chill. As she slowly spun around taking in the cities lights, she felt a jolt on her left shoulder blade, like something had zapped her skin there.

"What's this? Does my sweet innocent ma-ma-Marinette have a tattoo?" His voice in her ear, coupled with the sensations coming from the spot where her ladybug tattoo once was, nearly caused her to cum right there. The rational part of her brain, as buried as it was, noted how odd her reaction to his touch there was. Since she had moved to Milan, her tattoo had disappeared totally and she no longer had any feeling in the spot where it resided. And for the reaction to be this strong… It didn't bode well at all. But these thoughts were too buried in her subconscious for Marinette to notice.

"Like what you see? Maybe I have more, maybe I don't…" Marinette looked up at Luka over her shoulder, figuring he was just playing the game. Marinette was a competitive person, and if he wanted to play the game, she would win it. She flashed him a sultry smirk that made his cock twitch. He pressed it against the curve of her ass as he leaned in to slowly drag his tongue along the shell of her ear. "I'll find out by the end of the night, that's a promise, _bella_."

A sleek black car pulled up and parked, and a woman in a car service uniform stepped out and around to open the back door. Luka offered his hand to Marinette and helped her into the backseat of the car, coping a feel along the way. Once they were settled, Marinette noticed that there was a dark partition separating the front seats from the back seats of the car. She dimly registered an alarm bell ringing in her head at this, at how secluded she now was with a man she just met that night. Marinette was nothing if not determined, and she was determined to move past her broken heart. Adrien had refused to continue their friendship after she moved, and now she had an opportunity to move on as well. The irony was not lost on Marinette as she sat there thinking of Adrien while Luka's hands were skimming her body.

Suddenly, an icy feeling of dread washed over her. _What was she thinking?_ She had no business being in this car, with this man, _alone._ She needed to tell him that she wanted to go back to her apartment so she could check on Alya. She would use that as an excuse to get away from him.

Unfortunately, none of that mattered because Luka had set his sights on having her, and nothing was going to deter him from his goal.

"Wh- where are we going?" Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat, striving to appear in control of herself. She had to be strong to get out of the mess she found herself in.

"I figured me and you could continue what we started on the dance floor. My apartment is just a few blocks from here. Is there someplace else you had in mind? Your performance on the dance floor makes me wonder if you'd rather go somewhere more… open to continue our evening." Luka spoke in a low voice as he pulled his hands from her body to reach for the wine glasses in the mini bar next to them in the car. "Let me make you another drink, to keep the _fun_ going."

Marinette was internally panicking as she tried to figure a way out, so she was barely paying any attention to Luka. If she had, she would've noticed the small packet of powder he produced from a small compartment next to the fridge holding the champagne. He tipped half the packet into her glass before swirling it a few times to ensure it was all dissolved. He put on his most caring expression and turned to face her. "Are you alright? You're starting to look a little pale. Here, drink on this and we can spend the rest of our time together getting to know each other. Is that okay with you, _bella_?"

"Um… Sure." Marinette was at a total loss as to what to say, so she concentrated on sipping her drink. She wasn't a huge fan of champagne, having gotten more than her fill with all the events Adrien had dragged her to over the years. Thinking of him, and what he would think of her actions tonight, caused a painful twinge in her heart. All of her resolve to move on had totally fled her, and now she just wanted to go back home and cry on Alya's shoulder about how much she missed him. Suddenly her heart leapt. ALYA. That was her ticket out of the rest of this evening! They had long ago devised a code word to use in case of emergencies, or when they needed to get out of somewhere fast. If ever there was a time for it, it was right now. Marinette reached for her bag to dig her phone out. Once she had her phone in her hand, she pulled up Alya's conversation. She tried to shift her body to where Luka would be unable to see what she was doing. But he sensed her motives and was insisting she drink just a bit more before checking in with her friend. To get him to leave her alone, she took a few bigger sips of champagne than she wanted to. When he finally leaned back to refill her glass, she started to text the code word. A sudden wave of dizziness caused her to pause in her typing as she closed her eyes to get her bearings again. She was having a hard time getting the screen of her phone into focus. She couldn't find the rest of the letters needed for Alya to understand what she was trying to say. Marinette's phone slipped out of her hand just as she felt Luka tip her head back and carass the side of her face before gripping her chin roughly.

"You're all mine now, _bella_. All mine…."

Her phone lay on the floor of the car, screen bright with her text messages.

Mari: RO….

In another country, a boy with bright green eyes and blonde hair woke up in a cold sweat. A searing pain clawed his back, right where the mark of a black cat once resided...


	7. The Great Escape

The first thing Marinette was aware of was a pounding headache. She could feel each heartbeat acutely through the throbbing in her head, and it nearly made her stomach turn. She debated on whether or not it was strictly necessary to open her eyes. That's when she became aware of something that made her decision for her: a warm body next to hers. Scarcely daring to breathe, she slit her eyes open just a bit. Once her vision had cleared, she wished she hadn't.

There _was_ a body next to hers. A very naked one, pressed up against her face. Her head appeared to be laying on a toned, pale chest. She strained her eyes upwards, trying to catch a glimpse of the face attached to the chest, but she could only make out a creamy throat. Snapping her eyes back downward, she noticed that on the other side of the chest was a snake tattoo. She distantly recalled it being called an _ouroboros_ tattoo, she remembered having Adrien explain the symbolism behind it in one of the anime's he watched long ago. She started to feel the first tendrils of fear creep into her body as she cut her eyes downwards, taking in the taut stomach, and the line of fine midnight black hair trailing down before disappearing underneath a black silk sheet. Who was she with? What happened to Alya? Her memories of the night before were fuzzy at best, and caused her head to hurt even more when she strained to think about it. Whoever this was, and wherever she was at, none of it mattered because she needed to _leave_. Just as she was psyching herself up to move, an arm came around and started trailing up and down her arm. It was at this point in time that the last and most horrifying realization hit Marinette: _she was naked._

"Marinette? Are you awake, love?" Hearing that nickname coming from a strangers lips made her abruptly furious. She swiftly sat up, and then immediately regretted it as the room around her spun. She brought her hands up to clutch her head, shifting to put her head between her knees. She breathed deeply and shivered as she felt a hand rubbing circles into her back. She leaned forward just a bit more, hoping the hand would take the hint and stop touching her. Luck was not with her as the hand rubbed into her back harder. She was terrified to turn around and look at his face, thinking that it would make her predicament seem that much more real. She heard some shifting behind her, and then _something_ brushed her lower back as two hands started to slowly message her shoulders. She saw two legs spread out on either side of her. This was bad. What the hell is she supposed to do now? She couldn't just get up, as it would likely only anger him, but she sure as hell didn't want to stay still. Maybe she could pretend to start gagging, like she was going to vomit. Not like that was too far from the truth anyways.

A swift jolt of lightning ran through her back as she felt lips pressing against the spot where her tattoo was, raising goosebumps along her arms and causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. She felt a wave of contentment forced into her, as her conscious receded. She knew she should be terrified of the sudden change in her line of thinking, but she couldn't think of _why_ she should. A small part of her brain was yelling at her to run, to get up and get away from whatever was happening as fast as possible, but her body wouldn't respond. That part of her brain, that part of her _soul_ , could only watch in horror as her body responded to the light kisses being trailed all over her neck and back. Her nipples hardened with want and heat pooled between her legs. She slowly dropped her knees and looked over her shoulder. Her gaze was met with two striking blue eyes smirking at her. His lips removed themselves from her neck, as he straightened up.

"Good morning, _bella_. Did you sleep well?" He smiled down at her as he scooted backwards, settling with his back against the headboard. The sheet was still wrapped around Mari, so as he moved backwards, it fell down around his knees. Her gaze zeroed in on his obvious arousal, his cock twitching as he took in her stare. "See something you like?" There was a dark humor in his tone, as if she was missing some inside joke he hadn't shared yet.

Mari's soul fought as her body turned against her will, her nausea dissipating as she crawled on her hands and knees up the bed. When she was within reach, she reached her hand out to draw a finger along the vein pulsing on his cock. With a sing-songed, "Maybee," she brought her lips down to encompass his head, flicking her tongue along the slit at the top. His taste was musky, and it intoxicated her. She hollowed her cheeks as she let him pop out of her mouth, before tracing her tongue down his length. As she took him in her mouth again, her hand wrapped around his base and began to pump in time with her bobbing. He gave a low moan and sunk one of his hands into her hair, grabbing the strands roughly as he pushed her head down without warning. She gagged, trying to remove his cock from her throat so that she could catch her breath, but his grip didn't let up. He allowed her head to move up far enough to where just the tip was in her mouth before he abruptly pushed her head back down. Eager to please him, or maybe just to get it over with, she quickly adapted to the force and pace he was setting. The sounds of her sucking and his moans filled the dimly lit bedroom before he yanked her head off of his dick. The roughness was startling, then again maybe that was just how he liked it. She knew next to nothing about this man, only that she wanted to do everything in her power to please him. His lips crashed onto hers and he pulled her onto his lap. She lost herself in the heated exchange of kisses, his tongue snaking out to dominate her mouth. A deep moan reverberated through her body, causing her pussy to tremble. She ground down against his shaft, smearing it with the juices leaking out of her. One of his hands was pinching her nipple, the pleasure pain mix causing her to gasp in between hot, messy kisses. His other hand was gripping her hip with enough force to bruise. The hand teasing her breast moved down to her other hip, after which she was lifted up and slammed down onto his aching cock. Whimpering slightly with the pain of his forced entry, she broke off to gasp into his shoulder. This apparently annoyed him, as he made a sound of disapproval before pushing her off of him. He flipped her around to where she was underneath him, trapped between his arms and his intense gaze. He lifted her hips before slamming into her again, causing her to cry out again. He set a fast pace, slamming into her over and over until she was almost numb from the consistent pumps. He lifted her legs up to get a better angle, reaching even deeper into her body, filling her with his cock as she screamed. He slapped her across the face at this, causing her eyes to sting with tears. He took no notice, only smirking down at her as he kept his punishing pace. She made to push him off of her, all thoughts of pleasure erased from her mind after his abuse, but he wasn't having it. He took her wrists in his hands as she pushed herself up, letting her fall back down as he brought them over her head and used one hand to pin them to the bed above her head. Still, he never slowed down his pace, looking to find his release even as tears leaked down her face. Her body was betraying her, still coiling tightly as he pumped into her again and again. With her satisfactorily pinned down, his free hand snaked back down to start rubbing her clit. It seemed he was determined for her to release at the same time as he, for his touch on her swollen nub was nearly gentle, a vast difference from the way he was abusing her pussy. Her body was overloaded with all the different sensations; the smarting on her cheek from his slap, the pain of being roughly stretched and pounded by his cock, and the coiling of her release from his ministrations to her clit. Terrified to scream out, but unable to hold back, she cried out as her release took her. Her walls clenched around him as she fell apart, and a dark smirk graced his face as he doubled up his pumps. Her head whipped back and forth as he continued to assault her now overly sensitive pussy. She cried out as her walls spasmed again, and this time she felt his cock swell before he was suddenly sucking a mark into her pulse point on her neck, biting down as he came inside of her. As soon as he was finished he pulled out of her, taking the sheet and wrapping it around his waist after he stepped off the bed. Leaving her exposed and utterly destroyed, he didn't even glance back as he walked into his bathroom and closed the door.

Marinette laid in the middle of the bed for a moment before slowly getting up. She couldn't process what just happened to her. Was that rape? She had wanted it at first, for some reason she suddenly just couldn't help but _want_ him, but she didn't like how she was treated during it. It was time for her to leave. Hardening her resolve, she slid off of the bed. The room was dimly lit, but she managed to locate her clothes in a pile on the floor by the door. Terrified he would come out before she was done, she stumbled as she tried to put her dress on at the same time as pulling up her underwear. Crashing into the wall painfully, she managed to leverage herself against it enough to get everything on straight. Forgoing the ridiculous heels Alya put her in, she walked to the door and twisted the knob. Nothing. She tried again. Still nothing. Now pure panic was starting to set in. Why was the door locked? She jiggled the knob, desperately hoping it was just stuck and a good tug would break it loose. She gripped it harder, straining to turn it any way it would go. She put one hand over the other to give herself some extra leverage. A burning sensation across her right palm cut through the fog of fear. It almost felt like something had cut her. She pulled her hands away from the door, holding them up with her palms facing towards her to inspect them. She didn't see any cut on her right palm, but she did notice a thin band on her left hand ring finger. No no no no no _no_. This can't be happening to me, she thought as her hands began to shake violently. She slowly turned her hands over, sobbing when her eyes caught the ring situated on her finger.

It was hideous. While she was sure some woman out there in the world would find it appealing, the thought of what it stood for was enough to make Marinette despise it on sight. She brought her hand closer to examine her new…. Adornment. The band itself was black, with turquoise colored gems crusting the majority of its surface. They started out small, before growing larger and clumping together to form the thick body of a serpent. The jewels then twisted together to form a knot through which a snake head emerged. The black band formed it's jaw and nose features. As disconcerting as this was, the color of its eyes were what caused Marinette's tears to start afresh. Its eyes consisted of two emeralds. Just like _Adrien's_. Only, these emerald eyes glared at her like they were about to devour her whole. She needed to find her phone and send a message for help. Surely Alya hadn't left yet, she could send her a quick text and have her come pick her up - only Marinette had no clue where she was. Hopefully she would have time to check her GPS and send her location out. Luka had started the shower at some point, and she could still hear the water running. This gave her the courage she needed to start digging around his bedroom for her purse. It wasn't with her clothes, which was odd. She took this opportunity to find the light switch by the locked bedroom door and flicked it up. Light flooded the room as she took stock of her surroundings. The room itself was plain. Beige paint spanned the walls, with white crown molding accents along the bottom and top. The carpet was a light tan color. There was a black hard backed chair with a small black table next to it tucked into one corner of the room. The nightstands on either side of the massive bed were white, with small black lamps adorning both of them. The bed itself was on a black wooden frame, with a ornate headboard against the wall. The sheets were silky and black, with turquoise pillows strewn about the surface. The thought of what had happened to her against those sheets caused her stomach to tighten and she quickly averted her eyes to continue her search. Against the next wall was a white dresser with a big picture window above it. The window was covered by turquoise blackout curtains, so it gave off little light to help her. Her initial sweep didn't catch her purse, so she began moving about the room. Starting around the dresser, she looked behind it and under it in case it had simply fallen off where she laid it the night before. No luck. She moved her search to the drawers in the dresser, opening and shutting each one but only finding clothes. Designer shirts and undergarments caught her eye as she looked. Now that she had a task to complete and was focused, some of her memory of the night before had started to filter in. She vaguely recalled him saying he was in a band, and had some affiliation with the club they were at last night. Apparently his band was doing well, because these clothes were _expensive_. Shaking her head, she gently closed the last drawer and spun around. Striding over to the chair in the opposite corner of the room, she lifted the cushion. Disappointment stabbed through her as she found underneath it. She dropped down to the floor to look under it, nearly yelling in triumph as her hand brushed the strap of her purse. She yanked it out and popped the clasp open, praying to any higher power listening that her phone still had battery left. She fumbled the phone out and quickly hit the button to light the screen up. She exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as the screen came on. She had a dozen missed calls, nearly fifty texts from Alya, and strangely enough, a text from a number that wasn't in her phone. She could worry about that last one later, after she had made contact with Alya. Quickly pulling up their convo, she didn't even bother to read the messages Alya had sent before she started typing.

Mari: PLEASE COME GET ME. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE LEFT BEFORE HE COMES OUT AND FINDS ME AGAIN.

Marinette held her breath as she hoped and prayed that Alya had her phone nearby. She almost cried in relief when she saw the dots appear, signifying Alya's response.

Alya: GIRL. I have been out of my mind fucking worried sick. You and me are gonna have _words_ , you understand me? _Words_. Give me a second to make sure I have your location. In the meantime, I want you to do anything and everything you can to GTFO of there.

Marinette was never more grateful for her best friend then she was in that moment. She remembered making fun of Alya installing the tracking app on her phone before she left Paris, teasing Alya for being a creepy stalker. Alya had simply stated with a straight face that if Marinette was going to famous, Alya wanted to know exactly where she was at all times, like a true fangirl. They had both dissolved into giggles after her statement, unable to stop laughing at the sheer craziness of her statement for some time afterwards. Now Marinette couldn't be more happy to have a crazy fangirl stalker of a best friend. She would come through for her and save her, just like she always has. Marinette's attention focused on her phone screen as the dots appeared again.

Alya: Okay, I've got you. Looks like I can get to you within ten minutes. But don't wait on me. I think the place you're at is an apartment building, so you need to figure out what floor you are on and whether there's a fire escape.

Mari: The door to the rest of the house is locked, and there's only one window in here. I'll see if I can open it.

Alya was typing as Marinette was answering her previous text.

Alya: DO NOT WAIT. I will track you regardless. Break the window and start running. Just make sure to keep your phone on you at all times and I will come to you. GO NOW.

Marinette swiftly shoved her phone back into her purse and stood up. She became aware of the almost eerie silence that blanketed the room, before her heart fell into her stomach with the realization that the water had stopped running. Luka was done with his shower, and she hadn't noticed so she had no idea how long she had before he opened the door and her hell started afresh. She ran over to the dresser, ripping the curtains aside. She groaned quietly when she saw that the window didn't open, there was no switch or lever to push it open with. She would have to find something to break it with. This would instantly alert Luka to what she was doing and her time to get out would be up. Or, she could try to locate the key to open the bedroom door with. Taking a deep breath to clear her head, she started to quickly narrow down places the key might be located. She felt drawn to the nightstand closest to her, so she yanked the drawer open and started to dig through its contents. Finally, it seemed luck was finally on her side, as she spied the tip of the key poking out of some sort of song book. She briefly noticed a set list and what she assumed to be lyrics to a song he was working on. She pulled it out and ran to the door, hoping against all hope that it was the key to her release. The bathroom door opened as she jammed the key into the doorknob, twisting it so fast that she scraped her finger when it stopped but her sweaty hand kept turning. She didn't bother turning around as she heard him yell out. She quickly slipped through the door and slammed it shut in his face, turning the lock once more, effectively locking him in. She had no doubt that there was a second key, so she knew that this only bought her a little time.

Marinette looked for a way out. She noticed the elevator, but she knew that wouldn't be the best plan. They took too long and by the time it would get there, he'd have his hands back on her. She searched around her as she ran down the long hallway. Room after room passed by her in a blur and she panted as her heart ached and pounded against her ribcage. Finally, she found a door with a 'stairs' sign on it. She yanked it open and looked behind her to see him barreling down the hallway yelling her name. Marinette didn't even think twice as she booked it through the door and down the cement stairway. Her footsteps echoed loudly off of the walls, along with her heavy uneven breathing. She felt like her feet were going to fall out from under her, but she tried to keep balance and not trip. Now would not be the best time for one of her 'clumsy Marinette' moments. Heavy footsteps pounded behind her, along with an echoing sinister voice that spoke her name with the consistency of acid eating through paint. She knew she would never hear her name the same way again. It would be engraved into her memory for a century. A shiver ran down her spine and she bit her bottom lip to hold in her sobs. She had to keep as quiet as possible, because the alternative was too damning to think about. She finally reached the bottom floor and ran out of the building with him trailing close behind her. Everyone in the lobby turned to look at them, but no one did anything more than watch. She felt like she was an attraction at a freak show that people had paid to see. Marinette ran down the sidewalk and tripped on a crack in the cement, but luckily caught herself and kept running.

"HEY, MARINETTE!" Luka yelled out in an irritated voice that was filled with venom. His tone was laced with the promise of pain, causing Marinette to shudder. Marinette looked over her shoulder as she rounded the corner of the next towering building. "HELP! Someone!" She screamed out, but there was no one around to save her. She quickly gave up as she felt herself becoming too weak to run and yell at the same time, nearly stopping just before she heard tires squeal. Relief filled her soul as she saw Alya's car swerve around the corner and pull up beside her. The window rolled down and the comforting click of the door unlocking rang out into the silence.

"GET IN!" Alya yelled and Marinette quickly yanked the door handle. She slid in and slammed the door shut, right as Luka caught the door handle and tried to fling the door open. Marinette struggled to keep the door shut, but all of the running earlier had drained her energy. Alya glared and reached over Marinette and yanked the door shut with the force of two people. She was over this whole thing and just wanted to get her best friend away from this psycho fuck. She locked the doors and hit the gas, leaving Luka to fall face first into the street from the force of her acceleration. Marinette brought her knees to her chest, rested her forehead against them, and let out all of the anguish that she had held inside up to that point. She was suddenly aware of how much she hurt, both physically and emotionally. The memories of what had happened replayed in her mind like a never-ending loop of nightmares, even with her eyes were wide open.

Marinette suddenly remembered the ring on her left finger. She rallied, pouring her energy into her soul and began to try to yank it from her finger, but it wouldn't budge. She cried harder and hit her head against the back of the seat repetitively. Alya peered over at her best friend in concern and took her hand in hers. She tried to get her to calm down by rubbing the back of her hand with her thumb, but it wasn't really working. "You're safe. You're okay." Alya took turns looking from the road to Marinette. Marinette began to scream and kicked her seat in anger at what she had done. What she had allowed herself to do. She hated herself for letting it all happen and she blamed herself for it all. Blamed herself for sleeping with him and letting him treat her that way. Letting herself get lost in some random man at a bar. If she was totally honest with herself, she was absolutely appalled at the mess she had gotten herself into. "I'll drop you off at your flat." She snapped out of her self loathing as Alya smiled at her before turning her eyes back on the road. Marinette grabbed her hand that was on the steering wheel and Alya looked over at her. "I can't go home! He could know where I live. He could find me. He could take me away. He could use me again and leave me there. He could have me killed, Als! I- I can't go home. I-" Marinette's eyes were wild with fear. "Shh… chill out. At least stop by and grab a few things and then we'll figure this all out."

Alya tried to bring her best friend back to reality. Nothing could bring Marinette back to the way she was before this, and Alya knew it. Alya didn't even know what happened to Marinette, but she knew whatever it was, it had changed her. Marinette felt like she'd be broken forever. That anything from slight smells to sounds might bring her back to that nightmare. That he might be back to steal her back into his den. That he might capture her and wrap her in chains and never let her go. Drug her and keep her sedated so that he may have his way with her over and over again without her consent. She touched a spot on her skin that had become tender and was throbbing. She flipped the visor down, intent on checking the mirror to find the cause of the discomfort. Her stomach turned as she saw the massive hickey, with two puncture wounds in the middle of it that distinctly looked like a snake had bit her. Marinette shuddered at the implications of it.

Alya pulled into the underground parking garage and they swiftly got out. Marinette took off running towards the elevator the moment her feet hit the concrete, with Alya close beside her. They finally reached her floor and she quickly pulled her key out of her purse and unlocked the door. She opened her door to find her apartment in shambles. Picture frames were broken and glass was strewn about the floor. Torn fashion magazines littered the place along with her sample garments and a few other odds and ends from various drawers. She looked around to see cabinets were flung open and cups were shattered along the kitchen tile. Marinette sunk to the floor, tucking her head into her knees and wrapping her arms around them. Alya took in her friends' nearly catatonic state and hastily moved towards Marinette's bedroom. She began to pack anything and everything she felt Marinette would want to keep with her, throwing it all into a medium sized ladybug themed luggage baggage.

Back at the entrance of the apartment, Marinette finally snapped out of it. She used the chair beside her to help get back up onto her feet. She stumbled down the hallway toward her bedroom, using the wall for support as her body shook with her sobs. Her legs quivered with the effort it took for her to walk, the fear nearly incapacitating her with every step. She finally made it to her room, only to find Alya zipping up the bag.

"I think I got everything." Alya searched the room around her. Marinette shook her head and went into her closet. She moved a bunch of designer shoes from a shelf and pulled out an antique box.

Alya watched her with a curious expression. She had never seen the box before, never even known that Marinette possessed such a thing, which was surprising because Marinette usually told her everything. Marinette opened it to reveal a million folded papers of varying sizes, some of which looked liked they had been opened and refolded so much that the paper was crinkley and soft. All of the papers appeared to be filled with the same style of handwriting. Handwriting that was familiar to Alya. She watched as the broken girl fished out a bracelet from the pile of letters. Marinette slipped the bracelet onto her wrist with one last broken sob before closing the box, clutching it to her chest like it was a lifeline. She wanted to go back in time, back to when she could feel happy again. She wanted to forget that Milan ever happened. Most of all, she wanted to forget that Luka had ever happened. Alya walked up to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go, Marinette." She nodded and went into the bathroom to grab her toiletries bag, before she locked up her memories of Milan, and her trashed apartment. They headed back down the hall to the elevator, Alya hefting the bag while Marinette just concentrated on staying upright. Alya slipped her hand into Marinette's as they stepped into the elevator, silently offering the support Marinette so desperately needed.

Alya wanted to stop for gas to fill up before the drive back to Paris, but Marinette was able to convince her to wait until the next city they drove through, just to be on the safe side. She didn't know how Luka had found out where she lived, so she wanted to be well away from Milan before they stopped for any reason, just in case he was somehow tracking her. A thought struck her. How _did_ he know where she lived? What if he somehow had tapped into her tracking app, just like Alya did to locate her earlier? She needed to turn off her GPS locating services fast. She reached down and grabbed her phone, opening it with a hand that was only slightly shaky by this point. The further away from Milan they got, the less Marinette felt like she was being watched. Even so, she would take every precaution to make sure he couldn't follow them. She turned off her location devices, and closed down any apps that located in the background. As she was purusing her home screen to make sure she had attended to all of the apps, she noticed that she still had a text notification. She remembered that earlier when she had looked at her phone at Luka's apartment, there was a text from a number she didn't recognize. Afraid that it had something to do with Luka, but determined to open it anyways before blocking the contact, she tapped her finger on her texting icon. Before she opened the conversation, she stared at the number, trying to recall whether or not she knew it. Deciding she had never seen it before, she finally tapped her phone once again. Any control over her emotions she had managed to gain went flying out of the window. Her bottom lip started to tremble and her eyes pricked with tears once more.

(07 23 12 45 54): Marinette, I know it's… been awhile. But I wanted to check in to make sure you are alright. Last night, my… Well, the spot where my tattoo used to be suddenly flared up in pain. I don't know what it means, but I'm not stupid enough to think that it happened for no reason. Please, just respond and let me know you're alright. Then I'll go back to leaving you alone, I promise. xXChat NoirXx

The events of the day, coupled with this message from the love of her life (because who was she even kidding, it had _always_ been Adrien), finally caught up to her as she shut down. She didn't think she had any more tears to shed, yet before long there was a steady stream of them falling down her face. Sobs continued to wrack her body, her vision blurred, and her heart broke all over again. Alya glanced over in alarm before guiding the car along the side of the road and to a stop. She leaned over towards her best friend with the intention of wrapping her in her arms until she calmed, but something in Marinette's vacant expression caused Alya to look down first. When she saw the number on the screen, her eyes widened. She doubted Marinette recognized it, but _she_ certainly did. It was Adrien's new number. The new number he had gotten right after Marinette moved out to Milan, so as to prevent himself from succumbing to the temptation of talking to her in her new life. When Nino had confronted him about it, he had merely shrugged and said that he didn't want to hold her back if she wanted to chase her dreams. Snapping herself back to the present, her eyes narrowed as she took in his message. She was going to text him and give him a piece of her mind at his awful timing, but first she needed to deal with Marinette. She gently removed her phone from her hands, placing it in the cupholder between them. Then she pulled her best friend into a hug, her heart going out to her friend that she just wanted to be happy.

Some six hours and some change away, a boy with green eyes continued to switch back and forth between irritation and agitation. It wasn't like Marinette to not respond to his messages, even if they hadn't parted on the best of terms. He was all but certain there was something going on with her. His tattoo had flared up again just a couple of hours ago, this time the pain was tempered with a sensation that caused his head to feel fuzzy. He was worried out of his mind for Marinette, and was on the borderline of doing something drastic. Closing his eyes to talk himself out of looking for flights to Milan once again, he was struck motionless as a vision filled his head. One of Marinette naked and crying, as she was held down and taken advantage of by a strange, sinister looking man. The slap across her cheek echoed in his mind causing him to gasp and his eyes to snap open. The wait was at an end. It was time to leave.


	8. His Game

Luka was beyond enraged. Not only had this creepy old man contacted him regarding a cute little fashion designer new to Milan, but he had the _nerve_ to threaten him if she wasn't eliminated in a timely manner. This wasn't the first time someone had made an arrangement of this kind with Luka, but it was the first time someone so important and in a different city had. When he had first contacted him, Luka had gone and used his considerable string-pulling capabilities to find out exactly _who_ this guy was and why the hell he wanted Luka, of all people, to handle her. It turned out this guy was some big shot fashion mogul in Paris, Marinette's hometown. He wasn't sure why such an important dude was so scared of a no-name fashion designer, nevertheless, the amount of cash and drugs he was offering was enough to quell any curiosity Luka had about it. He couldn't pass up those kind of rewards so he would do what he needed to and get the job done.

He had orchestrated the entire evening, doing his research about his intended target. She was an up-and-coming designer at _L'autre Maison de Couture_ and had only been in town for six months. Searches on social media revealed that she had a group of close friends, but none of them were in Milan. So he would need to lure her out in order to complete his task. A little more digging revealed that her best friend was the operator of a well-known blog in Paris, so her contact information was splashed out all over the internet for anyone wanting to contact her. He sent a quick e-mail to her, detailing a hot club with a great band, made to look as just something a lonely young woman would jump at the chance to attend. He made sure to hide his e-mail address to where nothing could be traced back to him, just in case. Then he just had to sit back and wait for her to show up. Being co-owner, he was at the club nearly every night as it was and on the nights that he wasn't, he had associates casing it constantly. It only took a week or so for two of his associates to contact him regarding the girl and he prepared to make his move. Ordering his guys to stall her any way possible, he quickly gathered the materials he needed to get the job done. He planned on playing with her before taking care of her and he was _always_ ready for that particular game. The old man just said he wanted her eliminated, he didn't care what led to it or how it was done. This gave Luka a great deal of artistic license to choose how he wanted to proceed. For him, the most enticing part of these types of jobs were the chase. If he could hook them, finishing it was the easy part.

He looked in his bathroom mirror as he got ready to go meet his prey, critically analyzing himself to make sure he was as relatable as possible. Of course, there was always his…. back up plan, but that required physical contact and a certain level of intimacy that he was usually too disgusted to bother with. He detested weak people who never had to struggle for anything in their life and this girl embodied that. So he decided to take his fun a bit further than he normally would and really make it a night to remember. His gaze ran over his short sleeved shirt, expensive black silk that hugged the muscles of his upper body just right. To make him seem more approachable, he chose black hip skinny jeans that only hinted at designer origins, opting for an eye popping belt. He completed his look with sleek Italian made dress shoes to show that he had the money to _play_ without setting himself above everyone else. Even though that was exactly the case.

He made sure his flat was prepared for the evening's events and slipped a little baggie filled with powder into his pocket to transfer to his car. He grabbed his phone and he sent a quick text notifying his driver that he was ready to leave. With a devilish smirk, he walked over to the minibar just off his living room. Opening the frosted glass cabinet, he pulled down a crystal tray and set it on the counter. The tray contained the recipe for his escape from life and it's bullshit: a small cut-glass decanter filled with the most expensive _Grappa di Barolo_ Italy had to offer complete with a matching glass. He poured himself a shot and downed it as he gazed down at the items. There was a knife engraved with the words _non mollare mai_. It was his favorite tool to hit meth with, and to keep his feistier prey in line. Next he pulled down a small slab of thick marble. The marble was about a half inch thick, about eight inches long, and was what he used for his cocaine habit. In the middle was a square mirror surface which he used to chop his rocks. Angled on either side were grooves cut into the marble for the lines, left of it were the smaller grooves and right were the longer grooves. 6 holes lined the top and bottom middle of the marble surface, each with a rolled €100 euro note in it. A final long indention alongside the top line of holes housed a thick black credit card, the bottom of which was sharply edged.

He shrugged and decided to take a hit now. That way by the time he got to his destination, he'd be ready. He pulled the bag out of his pocket and shook it, before he took the 8-ball out and pinched the bag open slightly to pour it out. He picked up the black card and cut the cocaine with the sharp edge. He pushed some of it into one of the longer lines, before he put the card back into its place. Luka sighed as he picked up one of the €100 euro notes, leaning over the mirrored surface. He breathed out, plugging one side of his nose and quickly snorting up the line of coke. Luka straightened up and took a deep sniff to make sure the hit stuck. He licked his pinky finger and gathered the powder that was left behind and stuck it in his mouth. He smiled and shook his head, as the hit took over and numbed his nose and senses. He poured himself a shot of the expensive Italian liquor and shot it back, letting it once again warm his throat and chest. Luka made sure to put everything away before pocketing the knife for later. He made his way out of his apartment to his driver who had been patiently waiting at the curb.

He climbed into the black car and made his way to the club. Luka had gotten the text from his two men almost fifteen minutes prior, he needed to get there before they totally lost interested in the two losers stalling them. "Gas it." Luka told the driver and they sped off faster around the streets of Milan. It didn't take him long to get to the club and it had a line that ran around the building like a motherfucker. At least there were benefits to owning the place, one of which was the option of sneaking in through the back entrance. "Pull around back like usual." Luka swirled his finger in the air and snorted again clearing his nose of the traces of coke that were still trapped inside. He grabbed his phone as the car turned, texting the men Marinette's address and giving the order to demolish the place once they left the club.

"Yes, sir." The driver complied and swerved the car around back. Luka smiled at the man and held a €100 euro note out between his index and middle finger. "You're a good man, Alessandro. Wait here." Luka patted him on the shoulder before he got out of the car and headed into the club. Alessandro remained slightly bowed as his employer walked through the doors.

He walked through and greeted each regular customer with a special handshake and a cunning smile that hid nothing but cunning lies behind it. Luka caught a shot that the bartender slid across the bar top at him and slammed it back. " _Grazie._ " Luka winked at the bartender and made his way over to where his men were busy harassing the designer girl and her little journalist friend.

He caught bits and pieces of their conversation and smirked with a dark expression at how uncomfortable the two women seemed to be, they were in a near panic. He could hear their fast paced heartbeats in his ears and it got him off. He fed off of Marinette's pain and her fear. Luka slammed his hands down onto the two men's shoulders, dug his nails harshly into their soft malleable flesh, and gave a sickeningly angelic smile that made most women drop their panties on the spot. "Boys, boys, boys…. Can't you see these two extraordinary women are tired of your shit? Hell, even the post across the room has a better chance of getting laid tonight than you two do. Now, I believe they said to… What was it now..? Oh yes, ' _back the fuck off'_... So I think it's time for you both to get the fuck out of here. _Adesso_." He yanked them off balance with a strong forced movement and both of the men staggered, before they walked away with their tail between their legs. Only Luka noticed as they walked, Carlo pulled his phone out and read his text before casually signalling his understanding behind his back. Luka smirked briefly before returning his attention to the girls.

"Marinette, right? I'm Luka." Luka touched her hand and raised it to his lips. He peered at her through his dark two toned hair with a smirk. He wanted to see what faces she would make as his knife slid against her throat; wanted to see her pretty bluebell eyes glaze over as she took her last breath. More than anything else, he wanted his name to be the last one on her poisoned lips. He caught her gaze as she looked over his body from head to toe. ' _That's right kitten, take it in. Feel it out. I'm gonna have fun with that little black number later. Just you wait.'_ Luka got lost in his fantasy of slicing up her dress and filleting it open. How her breasts would spill out of the dress and how he would run his knife down her pretty body. That was his favorite part. Slowly carving a line from a woman's dainty neck to her tight pussy. He only hoped he was able to have the patience to wait this time.

"Yes... My name is Ma-ma-Marinette." Her voice was nervous, cute even, and his cock flexed at the emotion in it. He loved a nervous girl with a tremble in her voice. Made it all the more fun later when he was clutching their throat and holding them down, while he took what was his.

"Well, ma- ma- Marinette, I hope those men didn't give you too much trouble. If you'd like, I could go deal with them and maybe return for a dance?" Luka gave her a tantalizing dark stare hoping to catch her heart on fire. It had never failed to work on the other women before and he had every confidence it would work on this woman too.

"NO. I meant, no… You don't need to take care of them. I- I'm sure they won't bother us again now that you're here. Not that I mean you have to stay with us the rest of the night or anything!" The girl suddenly burst out an answer and then vigorously flailed her arms, clamping her lips together. Luka raised an eyebrow at her sudden outburst and then laughed hysterically at her. He couldn't believe how well this was panning out. How easily he was able to control her. She was too sweet, too innocent, and in the palm of his hand.

"If you insist. But, _I_ insist you let me buy you ladies a drink to make up for their inexcusable behavior. See, my band plays at this club during the week, so I'm something of a… representative of this club, if you will. And I can't allow those creeps to give this place a bad rep. I can tell both of you are intelligent, driven women who aren't afraid to voice their opinions publicly. And I'd like to formally make it up to you both by buying you each a drink. The dance, however… Well, that's strictly for my pleasure only." Luka gave Marinette a heavy lidded gaze, knowing how it would affect her. How it would make her wet and shiver. He knew how much women wanted empowerment, and false praise would only aid him in his task.

Luka watched Marinette suddenly relax and look at him with a hungry expression. "Since I've already had a drink, but I haven't gotten an opportunity to dance yet, how about you and I go have that dance and then you can treat my friend and me to our drinks?" Marinette peered away from him to where her journalist friend was. He knew what she was doing. She hadn't been the only woman to do it in his years of experience.

"I guess that means I'm all yours." She said with a sultry look towards him and pulled him to the dance floor. That was the moment he knew that she wasn't like the rest. She was special and different. He couldn't quite put his finger on exactly _how_ yet, but his magic was reacting to her in a way it had never done before. This only confirmed his suspicions and aroused him further.

While they danced, all he could think about was how pretty that dress would be in pieces on the floor. How she would look beneath his fingertips, bruised, broken, and torn open from his forced entry. What her expression would say as he had her over and over again. He never cared if a woman got off. They were only meer moments in time to him. As long as he came and enjoyed their suffering… that was all that mattered. Luka watched her move against him and saw how she glowed under the lights of his club. Suddenly, the light caught a mark on her shoulder and his eyes sparked at the sight of her faded ladybug tattoo. ' _I knew something was different about you, bella. This makes the game so much more interesting. It's a hell of a lot easier to control a girl that doesn't know what they have yet...'_ Luka smirked and took control over the dance. He leaned in and kissed up to her ear, "Wanna get a drink?" He wanted to get her as drunk as possible before he took her out of there.

As he led her back towards the bar, he revised his plans. He didn't give one shit what that old man in Paris wanted, or what he told him to do. He was gonna get this woman drunk, drug her up, and make her his bitch until he got bored with her. He internally chuckled at the dazed girl beneath his fingers and how she already couldn't speak anymore, only having the ability to nod in response to him. ' _Good girl…'_ Luka seethed into his mind with a small hiss as they reached the bar.

He ordered them drinks, then he watched her drink them one right after the other with a fire in his eyes. It didn't take Marinette long to be drunk. She was a light-weight and he planned that to his advantage. They danced more before he ran his fingers along her flesh like a hot serrated knife slicing a soft peach from its seed. He brushed his lips against her throat and whispered into her ear with a deep voice, "We should take this somewhere else, _bella._ "

He lead her to the valet and they waited for his driver to pull around. Luka smirked and reached over to touch the mark on her shoulder. He used the dark energy from his soul and pushed it into his fingertip, letting it spread over the tattoo from the middle out. He feigned ignorance as he asked in a low voice, "What's this? Does my sweet innocent ma-ma-Marinette have a tattoo?" He watched as her body reacted to his touch and knew he had her hooked.

"Like what you see? Maybe I have more, maybe I don't…" The woman before him gave him a seductive expression that was begging to be carved into her lips. His cock twitched at the thought of making it a permanent feature on her. His expression slipped into a mask of desire at the thought. He pressed his cock against her ass and whispered into her ear, "I'll find out by the end of the night, that's a promise, _bella_."

His driver pulled up and they got into the car. Luka listened to her question where they were headed and watched the expression of her face yo yo between the fear in her eyes and the want of a woman in need of attention. No magical influence required on his part. Turning away from her amusing struggle, he figured it was time for phase 2 of the evening. He poured her a drink and placed a drug in it that would make her easier to maintain, while providing a temporary amnesia for what was about to happen. He didn't want to deal with her protesting when he took her to marry him. Luka didn't want anyone else to have this special woman. He knew now what the ring was for. And, he finally understood why the old man wanted her dead. It must have something to do with how alluring she was; how much of a spit fire she was.

He watched her take a sip before reaching for her phone. _Uh uh uh, sweet bella, you aren't escaping me…_ He encouraged her to keep drinking as she fiddled with her phone. He didn't need her calling for backup, as she was obviously trying to do by the way she was turning away from him. He watched as the drug took effect and her phone slipped out of her hand. He picked it up and read what was on the screen before shrugging and sending it. Later on he'd send Alya a text letting her know that Marinette was too drunk to come home, and that he had graciously offered to let her sleep it off at his apartment. But for now... ' _That's it. Drink it all. I need you nice and limber, kitten. So you won't remember a thing. Let's make this beautiful.'_ Luka directed his attention back to Alessandro, snapping out instructions to head towards the nearest chapel for a shotgun wedding. He'd pay them off well so they didn't speak a word. They pulled up and he half carried Marinette out of the car. She held her head and he suspected she was finally feeling woozy and out of it. Which was good because he needed her that way. Exactly as planned.

He walked in with her clutching his shoulder and she peered up at him with blushing cheeks. "What are you doing, silly?" She giggled at him and he smirked with darkened teal blue eyes.

"Making you mine, _bella_. You're too beautiful to let go. Don't you remember me asking?" He grazed beneath her chin with his hand and brought her lips to his in a rough kiss. She softly giggled and pressed her lips together as he pulled away from her with a sickening smirk. Luka walked them up to the front desk and paid the people for a quick ceremony. Short and sweet. That's all he wanted and needed.

Before long they were saying their vows and he was slipping a serpent shaped ring on her finger, filled with the power of his magical bloodline. ' _You will do everything I say. Everything I do to you will have a reaction, and you will worship me. I will own you and your power always, unless true love's kiss interrupts this bond. Which I won't let happen. EVER.'_ Luka slid the ring onto her finger with a warm smile and she eagerly kissed him. He knew that she wasn't all there and that she didn't know what she had gotten herself into, but he didn't care. He had never cared.

"You're mine forever until death do us part, Marinette Couffaine." Luka bent down to steal a kiss from her again and she giggled softly as he lead her back to the car. His moment had finally arrived. Years of waiting and wondering if it was all worth it, finally coming to fruition. The ring would finally serve its true purpose. His magic would make sure of that. She'd never be able to escape his grasp, and that was just how he liked it. Complete submission. He loaded his new wife into the car and directed it back home. Now the work was out of the way, and it was time to play.

Back at his apartment, after struggling to maintain his temper carrying her through the lobby and into the elevator, he kicked open the door and shoved her through. She crumpled into a heap onto the floor, and he cursed her lightweight tendencies. There was no way he could have the kind of fun he had planned with her tonight. While he had wanted her incoherent for the wedding and binding, he wanted her to _remember_ every stroke of his cock in her pussy. And there was no way she'd be able to remember pleasuring him in this state. He dug through her purse until he found her phone, firing off the messages to Alya. Her not having a password on her phone was a nice perk as well. He picked her up and bustled her towards his bedroom, letting her collapse onto his silk sheets while he removed his clothes. Just because she wouldn't remember the sex, didn't mean he couldn't toy with her mind a bit. She'd wake up wondering what they did together, especially if they were both already naked. The thought of the mental manipulation did wonders for his bad mood. He set about stripping her down, sighing as he removed her dress without cutting it up. He got the sense that this dress was important to her somehow, and he was going to enjoy slicing it up in front of her once he got the chance. He rolled her over until he could work her body under the sheets, before slipping in next to her and settling her over his chest. He could wait a little longer for her, she _was_ special after all. He could wait to have his fun until morning.

Luka thoroughly enjoyed toying with Marinette. He loved the look in her eyes as his magic forced her into compliance. That look of fear and desperation before it glazed over into a different kind of desperation. He knew the ends and outs of his magical tattoo very well, so he knew just the right level to push into her that would keep her submissive but aware enough to suffer the whole time. He was surprised to admit she was so good at getting him off, then again he _had_ picked up on that promise in the club. It was part of what helped make the decision to keep her. That and he wanted to test the limits of his magic against hers. He could tell she had no idea how to use her magic or what the tattoos signified and he fully planned on exploiting that ignorance to his benefit. He didn't want her as a sex slave, no, he could have those any time he wanted. What he wanted her for was total dominance. He wanted to use her, abuse her, and still have her beg for more. He wanted to break her down and leave her to pick up the pieces while serving his only interests. That's why he forced the feeling of connection into her at the club while they were dancing and its why he forced the seduction into her once she awakened. He wanted every part of her to long for him.

As she started sucking on him, he couldn't handle holding back anymore. It was time to start retraining her and he was going to obliterate this gentleness he could tell she associated with sex. He gave a low moan as she worked him, before grabbing her hair and forcing her to take him deeper. Getting off on her gagging and choking on his dick. Letting her know that it was _him_ that was in charge, she was just there to please him. He didn't want her to throw up all over him either, so he allowed her head up far enough to erase that possibility, but still be in contact and pleasuring him. He almost instantly pushed back down again, moaning in pleasure when she adapted to his punishment. ' _She's an eager little kitten, that's for sure,'_ he thought to himself before deciding he was bored with how well she was responding. He yanked her off of his cock, ignoring her small squeak of protest as he brought his lips to hers in a bruising kiss. Much to his dismay, she adjusted nearly instantly to straddle his lap as he pulled her closer. He forced his tongue into her mouth, not letting up until she was a whimpering mess before him. Figuring it was time to introduce more pain into her experience, he roughly reached down to fondle her breast. Pinching two fingers together hard, he alternated between rolling her nipple and scratching his fingernail across it. He placed his other hand on her hip, keeping her grinding in check with a grip he hoped would bruise sooner rather than later. ' _Let's see how well you handle the main event, kitten, especially with no warning…'_ he thought to himself wickedly as he pulled his hand down, now gripping both hips. With a delighted smirk at the thought of what was about to come, he pulled her up and slammed her down on his cock. He nearly got off just on the thought of her pain at not being properly stretched before he was inside of her, using his dick to tear her insides apart. She broke away from his kisses with a pathetic whine, trying to bury her face in his shoulder without his permission. Infuriated at the thought of her taking control, he made a disgusted noise before pushing her away. Her confused expression pissed him off even more, and he nearly threw her down beneath him. Pausing to glare at her, letting her know that she had messed up, he then lifted her hips up for maximum effect before slamming back into her. He wanted to see the pain across her face as he bottomed out in her folds again and again, but again she adapted too quickly. Her face fell into a stoic mask, more than likely trying to concentrate on numbing the pain. This wouldn't do at all, he wanted to see her suffer. He lifted her legs to get a deeper angle into her tight pussy, forcing her walls to stretch even further. The moment he had been craving had finally arrived, as she could no longer take his punishment quietly. She screamed out, but he was prepared and cracked his hand across her face. He could see the tears welling in her eyes at the same time he felt the tightening at the base of his spine. He started pumping into her faster, chasing his orgasm. She made a weak attempt to push him off of her, but he pinned her down. He wasn't going to let her ruin his orgasm. He was going to finish this race, and inside her. Knowing that she would just keep struggling if he didn't occupy her mind, he shifted her wrists to just one hand before snaking his other hand down between them. He revelled in the look of confusion on her face as he rubbed almost gentle circles into her clit, making her believe that he cared whether she got off or not. The truth was, he only wanted her orgasm so that she would feel betrayal from her own body. Because even though her mind seemed to be becoming clearer (a hiccup he would need to fix after he washed himself of all traces of her), her body was still being owned by him and his magic. And he wanted her release at the same time as his for maximum effect. She cried out when the coil inside her finally snapped, but his pace didn't relent. Her walls clenched his dick deliciously, but it still wasn't enough. He smirked down at her discomfort as he doubled the pace of his pumps, causing her to release again before she could recover. This time, however, he couldn't hold back as his own coil finally snapped. He wanted the uncertainty of his actions to bother her later, so instead of pulling out to paint her body with his juices, he drove his dick into her as deep as it would go. As he rode out his orgasm, he leaned down to suck his mark into her skin, puncturing it as well for good effect. This would allow his magic to stay in her bloodstream in case something took away his direct influence. He wasn't sure why but it seemed like the duration of his influence on her was weakened quicker than it had been on anyone else. He pondered on whether or not it had something to do with her having her own tattoo, and still wondering even further if it was due the _type_ of tattoo it was. The old man neglected to mention she had her own tattoo, which led him to believe that he didn't know about it. Thinking on these things, he pulled out of her without a glance down, taking the sheets and heading to the shower where the hot water could wash away his disgust and allow his mind to think. For those brief moments, he allowed himself to forget she existed. The room was well secured, so he didn't have to worry about her escaping while he was in the bathroom.

Turning on the shower, he dropped the sheet. Once the water was the right temperature, he stepped in, relishing the feel of the constant pounding of the water on his tense muscles. He could still feel his high, and he had plans for many more rounds with Marinette before letting her go, but first he needed to sort out what he knew. Now that he had met Marinette for herself and was able to judge her power for his own eyes, he was confused as to why the old man thought she was such a threat. She was starved for attention. She was clueless as to the power that ran in her veins. Hell, it only took one night of dancing to lure her into his embrace. All in all not a person Luka considered to be dangerous. His family had spent years researching the _ouroboros_ tattoo that appeared on each male descendent of the bloodline. His own mother had been the one to figure out how to concentrate their abilities into a family heirloom, trying to find an avenue in which the woman of the family could be useful. Sadly, that endeavor ultimately failed, but not without some success. The ring held some of the power of compulsion in it, just not as much as physical contact did. And, it was able to alert the male of the proximity of his female counterpart. For all his mothers tireless research and efforts, it was a glorified tracking device. Sure, once it was on it wouldn't come off unless _he_ compelled it to, but really it served no great purpose. The comforting beating of water drops on his skin turned to knife pricks as he thought back to his mother's demise. Totally distraught that she couldn't tap into the power of the family, she had cut her finger off to remove the ring before grabbing the nearest knife and slitting her throat. That same knife now lay in the pocket of his pants, a constant reminder of what he's lost to this accursed power. His thoughts turned darker still as he recalled his father's total lack of caring at his mother's death, joking that at least she had cut off the ring so it could still be passed on. At that point Luka had carried the knife with him constantly, so it was too easy to grab his father by the throat and plunge it into his heart. Shock wiping that stupid shit eating grin off of his face forever. Luka realized he had yet again started to unconsciously scrub himself while drowning in these thoughts, as his arms ached with the effort of driving the soap into his skin, blood slowly pooling beneath the surface. Turning his thoughts back to Marinette, he started planning. Now that he had her, he was going to take her with him on tour. She could manage his affairs and worship the ground he walks on; while he could continue drinking, doing drugs, partying, and fucking whoever he wanted. He had a good life torturing her all planned out and he was ready to savor every moment of it. Maybe he could string her up and see if he could force her magic to react to his in some way. It was a fun thought worth reserving for later.

His skin now almost wrinkled from how long he had been standing under the spray of the water, he quickly finished cleaning himself up and turned off the shower. Through the rings power he could tell she was still in the room beyond, probably nervously pacing and freaking out. The thought caused a smile to grace Luka's face as he opened the cabinet next to the shower. Pulling out a pair of blue boxers and comfortable black designer pants, he slipped into the clothes. He made the decision to forgo a shirt so he could see her start to piece together what his tattoo was doing to her. He knew she was intelligent, so he wouldn't be surprised if she already had a good grasp on what he had done to her. In the end, though, it didn't really matter if she understood or not. The knowledge would only serve to torture her more, knowing what's the cause of her unhappiness yet unable to do anything about it. With his clothing now on, he set about brushing his teeth and hair. Right as he deemed himself presentable to his 'wife', he heard a scraping noise that had him running out of the bathroom. _That bitch! How the fuck did she manage to find the key under all that shit?! Oh, kitten, you are gonna pay for this…_ His gaze hardened as he yelled out, hoping to startle her enough to drop the key. He was just seconds too late, as he reached the bedroom door only to have it slammed in his face.

Growling in frustration, he whipped around and ran at the chair in the corner, flipping it over and ripping the key tapped to the underside off. Running back to the door, he unlocked it and slammed it open. His gaze zeroed in on the front door that was hanging open, and he charged towards it. She couldn't escape. He _had_ to catch her. There was too much at stake to allow her escape, and that thought powered his muscles down the hallway. His eyes finally fell on her as she opened the door to the staircase.

"Marinette! Don't do this!" He yelled out to no avail, as she had already slammed the door. He pounded down flight after flight behind her trying to catch up. " _Marinette…. Marinette…. Bella you're going to regret this day… You'd better keep your head little girl… You won't know where I am… Marinette.._ " his tolerance for this woman was quickly waning. Barrelling out into the lobby, he continued to chase her. His magic burst around him, compelling everyone in the lobby to stare dully at them as they passed. He would not tolerate any interference in his hunt. He shouted out again as he saw her stumble, "HEY, MARINETTE!" he tried to keep the promise of the pain he had planned for her out of his voice, but he was losing control. She was nearly to the point to where she could disappear from him. He didn't know if she had a set destination in mind, or if she was just running willy nilly hoping someone would notice her. Either way, he couldn't let her slip through his grasp. She was visibly weakening, her body nearly shuddering with the effort it took to run from him. He put on a great burst of speed, the knowledge that his chance to overpower her had come, totally focused on her retreating figure. He was so focused, he barely had time to dodge out of the way as a car came squealing around the corner. His mouth nearly dropped open as the car screeched to a halt next to Marinette. _This can't be happening._ She flung herself into the seat and reached over to close the door just as his hand wrapped around the handle. His fury lent him strength, and he started to overpower her efforts to shut the car door. Unfortunately, he wasn't paying any attention to the driver, so focused on Marinette and the pain he was going to cause her. His eyes widened in shock as a pair of arms reached across Marinette's lap to grip the car door handle. The journalists face swung into his view, his shock causing him to loosen his hold on the door. This was detrimental to his efforts, as he was suddenly jerked forward. The psycho bitch had hit the gas, causing him to lose his grip and fall flat into the street. He could only watch in utter horror and shock as his prey slipped away from him.

" _You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love…."_ Luka sang softly as he watched the car squeal around the corner and disappear. He stood up, noticing with annoyance he would require another shower to get the sweat and blood from skidding along the pavement. Yet, a sinister smile graced his face as he silently sent a _Thank you, Mother_ up in prayer. The ring would finally serve its purpose. Marinette might think that she got away, but she would have a nice surprise waiting for her once she returned to her apartment. For now, it was time to start calling in favors. He had a hunch where she would end up, and he needed to make sure he found her before the old man caught wind of her escape.

Returning to his apartment, he grabbed his phone and made a few calls. After everything was set into motion, he jumped back into the shower. He could feel the pull of the ring, guiding him to where she was. He pushed that thought back, he had done his research well so he knew where she was going. It was the end destination that was going to be hard to determine. Was she going to return to her parent's house? Stay with the journalist? She seemed to be a fairly popular girl, so there were a number of places she could hide out if she wanted to. But, he also knew that she would want to be away from prying eyes while she processed what to do next. It was only logical for her to want privacy until she got a handle on her situation. But where to achieve that…. His pondering continued as he got dressed and packed a luggage bag. Walking over to his minibar, he emptied the contents out into a special travel container. With the duration of his leave still undetermined, it was best to keep all incriminating evidence on his person. Finally ready to go, he once again summoned Alessandro. It was time to start the hunt, and this time his prey wouldn't escape. The time for mistakes was past. His wife wasn't getting away.

" _Mi amor… I'm coming for you and I'm making war. I still love the way I hurt you…."_

 _+++++++NOTES:++++++++_

 _Hoping this fixes the spacing issues we've been having, special thank you to MadamScorpio for her suggestions_

If anyone is confused about the marble slab, here's what I based it off of:

. /p/Mirror-Surface-Lines-Snuff-Plate-Chopping-Snorting-Rocket-Board-Line-Mate/17004049911

Next chapter: back to Marinette. Will she be reunited with Adrien?

Song lyrics used for this chapter:  
Run For Your Life - The Beatles  
Escape - Enrique Iglesias  
Irresistible - Fall Out Boy


	9. Home Sweet Home

Marinette started hyperventilating the closer they came to Paris. She wanted so badly to run to her parents house and bury her head in her mother's tight embrace. Or to relish the feeling of security from her father's arms around her. But she just couldn't. Couldn't put them at risk, couldn't let them know what happened, couldn't stand the looks on their faces when she explained that she was _married_ to the same guy that raped her. That took control of her body and abused it. Marinette had spent most of the ride beating herself up for getting into the situation she found herself in. But now it was time to _plan_.

Her thoughts strayed to Adrien, not for the first time. She knew he would be furious to know she was in town. She had already done enough damage to him, maybe it'd be best if he didn't know she was back until she had this whole thing solved. But, she also knew that he would be able to help her in a way no other person could. His cool head and quick thinking mind would be an excellent tool to utilize in her plan to fix this. She didn't know what she wanted the outcome to look like, she just wanted _something_ to start going her way. What happened to ladybugs being good luck? That was yet another thing that baffled her, adding to her rapidly growing list of things that she didn't understand. Why did she get those sensations when Luka touched her tattoo? Just thinking about him made her stomach turn, but she pushed those feelings to the side in order to focus. She forced herself to think back to the sensation of being aware of her body's reaction to him, but unable to direct it in any way. But, that only happened when he touched it. As much as she was loath to admit it, it was _her_ decision to play his game initially. It was all her decision to reach for any sort of happiness she could get and try to move on from the love of her life abandoning her. So she had offered to dance, offered to basically have sex with him on the dance floor (she could admit that their dancing was the closest she had gotten to any form of intimacy in the past six months), until it went horribly wrong. Her body's strong reaction overwhelmed her in that instance, almost like it was being controlled to… But how? Questions with no answers swirled around and around in her head, along with the image of a blonde haired boy with striking green eyes. She wanted to go to Adrien with every single fiber of her body, but at the same time she was terrified to see the look of disgust in his eyes.

"Mari…. Mari… GIRL!" Alya had to raise her voice to snap her friend out of whatever thoughts she was drowning in. Alya could read her best friend like a book, so she could see that whatever she was considering wasn't going to be helpful. "I hate to bring this all up, but…. Do you have a plan? Where am I taking you to when we get there? I know you probably don't want your parents to know, and Adrien…. Well, I'll let you figure that out. But it probably wouldn't be a wise decision to just show up out of the blue with all of this clusterfuck of shit and dump it on him."

"I can't see Adrien, Al. Not yet. Maybe not ever again. I can't deal with having him look at me and know what I've done. This is all my fault. I don't need him to tell me that and I have every reason to believe that he will. He begged me not to go to Milan and when that didn't work he begged me to allow him to go with me. I was such a fool. Turning away a man that would uproot his life to be with me….." Marinette's chin started to tremble as her breaths started coming in short gasps. She didn't realize it until Alya slipped her hand in hers, but she was gripping her knees so tightly she had scored the skin. Her whole body shook as she leaned against the window, the cool glass catching the tears that ran down her face. She couldn't face her best friend.

"Mari… You know you're more than welcome to stay with me and Nino, but it's only going to be a temporary fix." Alya wanted to reassure her best friend, but the right words wouldn't come to her. How did you console someone who went through this? She didn't have the foggiest idea. And it was unfair to Nino, what was about to happen, but it couldn't be helped. She had sent him a text containing _their_ emergency code, followed with a very brief text saying something had happened and she would be bringing Mari back with her. He had wanted more information, but this wasn't something you could explain in a text. So she had ignored that and texted their ETA.

A sudden thought caused Mari to turn and finally look at her best friend. Alya wished she hadn't. The look on Marinette's face, the pure terror, caused Alya's heart to painfully clench. Her foot unconsciously pressed down on the gas pedal a little harder, and her eyes flicked to check her mirrors, thinking Mari had seen something. "Alya! I can't stay with you and Nino! What if he _can_ track me? I can't bring him to your front doorstep! Where should I go? What should I do? I can't risk him finding me with _anyone_. I'll have to stay on the streets or in hotels. Keep moving, don't spend too much time in the same spot - " Marinette trembled as she realized she was well and truly alone. She had escaped only to find herself homeless and likely spending the rest of her existence in fear of every shadow. Some existence. Maybe she should've stayed. At least then, it would only be her suffering. She could've saved another woman if she had. She could've saved Alya and Nino the fear that comes with her staying with them or having anything to do with her at all. If she hadn't panicked and ran she could have prevented so many bad things happening around her. But like a coward, she saved herself and put everyone else in danger. She hung her head. "I- I'm _so sorry_ , Alya." Her soft mutter cut off whatever reassurances Alya was making. "I- If I would've just stayed…." Mari said softly, head hung.

"...If you would've stayed, I would've kicked your ass. Mari, I know you are over there convincing yourself that this is all your fault, but _it isn't._ No one deserves what happened to you. He would've killed you if he caught up with you. I'm starting to think that he was targeting you from the very beginning." Alya shook her head in frustration, she should've seen the signs _before_ this happened, not afterwards. She had started thinking once the silence in the car stretched on longer and longer after they left Milan. Marinette had told her what happened in broken sentences and sobs. After she had gotten the whole story out in the open, she had stared out the window of the car, refusing to look at Alya any more. Alya had given her the space she needed to recover, and while she did she started looking in the past for clues, for _anything_ that suggested this was just a random event. But the more and more she added things up, the more she came to the conclusion that this was planned. The e-mail detailing his club, hell even the two creeps that had accosted them at the bar; all were a part of a bigger scheme. And now, with this ring that Marinette couldn't get off and with the tattoo she described; Alya's fingers itched to start running searches on the web to find out what it all means.

If she was honest with herself, she was surprised and a little disappointed that Marinette had kept her tattoo from her all these years. Then again, Alya should've noticed. She's a _journalist_ for crying out loud. Her livelihood is details and yet she had somehow missed something of this magnitude that was right under her nose all these years. She hadn't shared her theory on Luka with Marinette just yet, but she would have to soon. "Mari, you're coming home with me. No argument, I don't want to hear anything other than 'okay Alya', you got me?" Alya waggled a finger in Mari's direction with a mock severe face, causing a soft giggle to escape her best friend. She nearly pumped her fist in the air when the Eiffel Tower finally came into view.

"Okay, Alya." Marinette smiled gratefully at her before her gaze fell on the Eiffel Tower as well. _I'm back. I wasn't supposed to be here this soon. Why do my plans always end up blowing up in my face? I lost Adrien, then I lost Milan, and now I've lost myself_. She shook her head clear of the self deprecating thoughts that continued to push at her mental defenses. She was glad that Alya was letting her stay with them, even with the danger she was putting them in by staying there. Alya was good for her soul, Nino as well. There was just something about your best friend picking you up during the worst trials of your life, without hesitation, just made her heart swell with love.

After another half hour of driving through the city, they finally pulled into the underground parking garage for Alya's apartments. Helping Marinette get out of the car without too much pain, handing her purse and the antique box to her, Alya walked behind the car and popped the trunk. Lifting both her bag and Marinette's out, she got them settled for carrying and closed the trunk. She locked her car and they both headed towards the elevators. Once they arrived on Alya's floor, they started towards her door. Alya noticed Marinette was hanging back and slowing down. "What's wrong? It's just Nino, Mari. You don't have to tell him anything you don't want to. If you want me to tell him, I will. If you want to tell him the gist of it, do it. He loves you, Marinette, and he just wants you to be okay. However that looks for you." Alya said softly, walking back to Mari and setting the bags down to envelope her in a gentle hug.

"Alya… I don't know how to ever thank you… And Nino. I don't deserve either one of you. I'll work hard to get my life back on track so I don't disappoint either of you." Mari smiled through the tears falling down her face.

"Girl, get outta here with that nonsense. The only way you could ever disappoint us is if you give up." Alya took her keys out and started to slide the key in the lock, but before she could turn it the door was yanked open. In the doorway stood Nino, who appeared calm but his eyes frantically jumped between the two best friends. He took in Alya's exhaustion and forced smile before turning to the other girl he had known since preschool. His eyes widened as his gaze flicked over Marinette's crumpled dress, picking out stains that he didn't want to identify. He embraced Alya, placing a chaste kiss on her lips before moving towards Mari and out of Alya's way so she could walk into the apartment. He approached cautiously, not sure whether Marinette would welcome a hug at this time. Mari made his decision for him as she reached out for him, wrapping her arms around his middle and holding onto him like a lifeline. "Oh, Mari…. It's okay sweetheart, don't cry. You're safe now, you're safe here." Nino kissed the top of her head, muttering reassurances into her hair and guiding her into the apartment. He walked her over to the white couch in the living room, sitting her down before walking back to the door to lock them inside. "There's hot water ready to go for tea, babe. I was just about to get the cups down from the cabinets when I heard your keys." Nino glanced back over at Mari. She was nearly catatonic, if he couldn't see the rise and fall of her chest, he would've been seriously scared for her. "So, uhh… How's it going?" He immediately knew this was the wrong thing to say, mentally slapping himself for acting so flippant at a time like this. He heard Alya drop the tea bags on the counter a little harder than necessary. He cringed, expecting her to throw something at his head for his stupidity.

A hysterical laugh tore from Mari's throat, causing Nino's concern to shoot up another couple of notches. He had never seen her this way and it scared the shit out of him. He turned to Alya, not knowing how to proceed. Alya brought over a tray with tea for the three of them, as well as some cookies for Mari to munch on. She placed everything in front of them, coaxing Mari into taking her cup and a plate with a couple of the cookies. "What did you decide, Marinette? Moment of truth time. Is it gonna be you or me?" Alya looked at her expectantly. Nino thought this was kind of a harsh intro to what is obviously a very sensitive subject, but these two had a very unique relationship. He was smart enough to know that, and to keep his mouth shut with his opinions. He would wait for their silent communication to come to a close. His eyes switched focus back and forth between them, almost like he was actually listening in to their conversation. His gaze focused in on Alya's as she rose, moving to sit next to Mari. She wove their hands together, taking a deep breath at the same time as Marinette. "Nino, Marinette has something going on that she isn't quite ready to talk about. So, I'm gonna do my best to fill you in as painless for her as possible. I'd like for you to hold off on any questions until the end. Do you think you can handle that?"

Nino nearly smiled at the formal tone Alya spoke with, but now was not the time. They were trusting him with something big, and he wouldn't let them down. "I'm your dude. My lips are sealed."

Some time later, Marinette couldn't handle the oppressive pity that permeated their apartment. She didn't want their pity, she definitely didn't _deserve_ it. This was her fault. She appreciated Alya's words, but they were just that. Not wanting to stay, but terrified of running into someone she might know, she convinced herself that she would take a walk just around the building before going to sleep. Alya and Nino had already turned in for the night; Alya exhausted from all the drama and driving and Nino because he didn't know what to say. She probably should've changed before venturing out, but she couldn't bring herself to care about appearances when her life was in such shambles. She was only walking around the building, it's not like she'd spot someone in that small of an area, at this time of night too. She wrapped her arms around herself as she meandered around the corner. She should've at least brought a jacket. Another stupid decision. One of these days, they would lock her up for the safety of the public. Sighing as she rounded yet another corner, a shiver of foreboding raced up her spine. Not knowing what that could possibly mean, she promptly panicked and ran into a nearby alleyway. Walking as deep into the shadows as she dared, she willed her heart to quit thundering so she wouldn't be found. She walked to the other side of the alleyway, coming out onto a dark street. Figuring she would walk in a giant circle to assure herself she wasn't being followed she set off down the street, going the opposite way she came out. Just as she came up to another alley she planned on ducking through, she stopped to listen. She could've sworn she'd heard….

Voices.

She just couldn't catch a break. Leave it to her to stumble upon some drug deal gone wrong or some other form of crime. She needed to continue on her way, but she didn't want to just walk past and hope for the best. Her luck just didn't run that way lately. She walked as quietly as she could up to the building next to the mouth of the alleyway. She would just quickly glance around the edge of the building to locate where the men were so she would know where to walk to be undetected. She dropped down to a crouch before slowly moving her face to where one eye was trained down the alley.

Marinette suddenly caught sight of familiar bright aqua tips. Her heart pounded and she ducked behind a trash can near the alleyway. The same alleyway that Luka was busy shaking hands with ex-Mayor Bourgeois with a sly crooked grin. She clutched at her broken dress as her heart rang in her ears. She tried to focus on what they were saying, but it was hard for her to make out words between the pounding and ringing. Marinette gathered her courage and powered through it, catching Luka's liquid metal voice as he spoke again.

"Bonjour, Mayor Bourgeois." Luka smiled at the rotund man, who was dressed in a crumpled white plain tee and gray sweatpants. Marinette couldn't believe the ex-mayor had fallen so far that he would be caught wearing such an atrocious outfit, or maybe she just couldn't reconcile the man she left Paris knowing with the man before her in the alley. She shook her head to try and focus on the conversation again and not on the ex-mayor's state of dress.

"Bonjour, Luka. What did you want to discuss? Money? I have none and you know that." Bourgeois sighed and put his hands in his pockets. He didn't stand up tall like he used to, but slouched and hid his face, as if he was ashamed of where he was in life. A stance befitting the criminal he was.

"Not today, Bourgeois. Shame as it is that you ended up where you are, I have something more important to ask such a fine man as yourself." Luka put on his cunning act and wrapped his arm over the older man's shoulders. A look of disgust crossed his face as he touched the former mayor, but he swiftly replaced it with a sickly sweet smile. "See, I met this girl over in Milan. She's about… oh… let's say yay-tall." He gestured with his free hand, holding it up to about Marinette's height.

Marinette gasped and threw her hand over her mouth in a panic. She wanted to scream, but that would give away her position. Marinette swallowed hard and clutched the can with her hands, as she turned to peer around it again.

"She's got hair the color of midnight with just a hint of blue and skin the color of a light almond with an undertone of a dusty rose… eyes the color of sapphires. Sound familiar? Her parents run a boulangerie in town. Some argue the best one in all of Paris." Luka smirked at the man with a hint of gleaming pearly white teeth. "See, a very important man is looking for her. I want to save the little damsel in distress before that happens, and I think you could be of some help to me." He leaned into Mayor Bourgeois, the older man yelping as the grip on his shoulder grew painful, "Maybe you even know of some friends of hers that I could talk to, hm?"

Marinette turned to put her back against the trash can and chewed on her fingernails to keep the panic from bubbling out. She didn't want to be caught by Luka. She just wanted to forget that Luka had ever existed. She wanted to forget the part that she played in it, forget why she had let him do what he had. A tiny flash of green broke her out of her musings, she looked down to see the eyes on her serpent ring glowing. She gasped and quickly covered it with her palm, hoping against hope that it didn't mean what she thought it did.

Against her will, her eyes darted back over at Luka, only to see him flash a glance in her direction. Marinette quickly pulled back behind the trash can, panting at the adrenaline that was pumping through her veins.

Bourgeois had also caught Luka's glance to the side. Fearing it to be some sort of signal for his goons to attack, he panicked and burst out the only real answer he had for Luka. "Chloe knows of the girl and you might check with Gabriel's son." Luka nodded with a cheshire grin that spoke wonders beyond his words and handed him a 100 euro note.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mayor. I'll be seeing you around." He patted the excited man on the shoulder with a condescending smile. Marinette heard footsteps making their way towards her and suddenly knew with absolute clarity Luka knew she was there. She crawled along the sidewalk until she reached the other end of the building, which backed up to a park. She continued to crawl until she was reasonably sure it was safe before getting up and sprinting across the park.

She couldn't hear whether his footsteps were still following her or not, all she knew was that she needed to get out of there, and _fast_. She had the hometown advantage and she planned to use every bit of her knowledge of Paris' alleyways against him. She wanted to peek over her shoulder to see if he was following or not, but she was terrified of falling down. She had managed to escape him once, but she wasn't naive enough to believe she could a second time. Spotting a place to turn at that would allow her to quickly glance and gauge where he was before he lost sight of her completely, she put on an extra burst of speed. Her hair flew out behind her as she put her all into creating a bigger gap between them. She reached the corner and took her moment, looking around to find him about 30 feet behind her. He was too close. She needed to put more space between them, but she could feel the burn in her lungs and her legs taking over. She wouldn't be able to last much longer at this rate. She needed another place to hide. _She needed to get this damn ring off._ She was now positive that it was somehow broadcasting her location to Luka. For right now, she concentrated on coming up with a way to buy herself some time. She tore down an alleyway, then zig zagged over to a different one that was caddy-corner to the one she just flew out of. She did this a couple of times, hoping to confuse Luka enough into falling behind or making a wrong turn. She risked another glance behind her as she ran out of yet another alleyway, relieved to find that he hadn't turned the corner yet. She was losing him.

A small smile broke out on her face right before she slammed into a hard body. Her fast pace was arrested by the collision that sent them both tumbling to the ground, rolling over and over again before coming to a stop abruptly. She heard a man's voice groan from on top of her as she attempted to catch her breath and keep her modesty. She closed her eyes as the world kept spinning. She felt bad for whoever it was that she had crashed into, but she couldn't stick around and make sure they were alright. Besides, the further away she got from him, the less danger he was in. Opening her eyes to find out the best way to squirm out from under him, she squinted as she caught sight of his face in the darkness. Actually, it wasn't his face that caused her to go still. No, she didn't even get to recognize the other features of the person currently dumbstruck on top of her.

She only saw shocked bright green eyes.

"Ma - Mari?"


	10. The Fight

"For the last time, Daddy, NO! I thought you had started to actually give a shit, but you just want a handout. You raised me to never give worthless people money." Chloe screamed at the top of her lungs. She could tell he was unhappy with her answer but she had stopped caring a long time ago. She was furious that he had convinced her he wanted to mend their relationship only to ask for her hard earned, legitimate money. After _years_ of ignoring her, only acknowledging her when she could perform for him, she thought hitting rock bottom would change him. Well, this was the last he'd ever see of her. She would make sure of it.

He looked at her with a mixture of disappointment and anger before turning without another word. She didn't know who could be so important that they trumped _her and her money,_ but she fully intended to find out. As she watched the distance between them grow, the gears were turning in her shrewd mind. She didn't get this far in life by blind trust, no, total skepticism was more her style. _Where_ could he be going that was of such significance? Hastily making up her mind, she slunk off after she was sure there was enough distance for her to follow him undetected. He wouldn't even consider that he was being followed, so she knew she could do so without fear of being caught. Maintaining a safe distance behind his vast figure, she stuck to the shadows as she trailed him past building after building. She vaguely recognized the area they were headed to, but seeing as how it was a lower income part of the city, she couldn't say she knew anything about the people that lived there. She concentrated on his back as he glanced left and right at the end of the street they had emerged onto. Instead of continuing down another street, she finally saw him turn between two buildings. She knew by the way he tried to appear more important and regal, he had reached his destination.

She slowed her pace and prepared herself for what she was about to come across. Since her father's embezzlement trial, people had started shunning her. It eventually escalated to where she couldn't go out shopping without being yelled at or pestered. Since then, she had started carrying a small, but deadly, knife. It wouldn't scare them off, but it sure as hell would get their attention as she stabbed into them. As she slowly made her way to the edge of the building, she pulled the knife out of her pocket and released the lock with a soft _snick_. She had no idea what to expect, but given that it was her father it promised to be any number of despicable things. She quietly took a deep breath as she came to the opening of the alleyway before peeking her head around the corner. Her father's back was facing her, so she had a clear view of the man her father was now exchanging pleasantries with. To her surprise, this wasn't some grungy low-life she had expected her father to associate with. This man was... different. His gunmetal hued silk button down stood out against his tight fitted black jeans. A silver serpent embossed belt buckle shined in the low light. He wore newly waxed italian leather dress shoes in liquid black and his hair was slightly in front of a pair of brooding teal blue eyes. Her heart raced at the hint of a coy smirk on his soft lips. He looked like the kind of man that knew exactly what he wanted in life and _that_ was something she could relate to. She couldn't stand whiny ass men that didn't know what they wanted and could never make their own decisions. She had been taught from a young age to understand _power_ and this man absolutely exuded it.

There was something different about him; she couldn't put her finger on what it was but she had every intention of finding out. She was shocked that such a man would have anything to do with her father, but then again her father had been in the game a very long time. Just by the way they casually touched, she could tell that they had been acquainted a long time. Focusing back on their conversation, she heard the man describing a girl that sounded an awful like…. But it couldn't be. Who would care enough about _her_ to seek her father's connections? And why would a man like _him_ be looking for her? She pondered these questions as she heard her father mention her name. _Oh, Daddy, I do owe you one for sending that man my direction,_ she thought as she texted her driver her location. Now she just needed to figure out how to allow herself to be 'found' by him. As she was turning around, she could've sworn she saw someone at the other end of the alley; much in the same position as she, obviously eavesdropping as well. She decided to ignore that, after all it was none of her business and she wasn't supposed to be here anyways. Thinking she was in the mood for a more elegant setting, she decided to plan at her favorite spot. As she turned to walk to the end of the street to await her car, she gasped as she saw the man sprint away from her father down the other side of the alleyway. She was glad when her driver pulled around the corner at that exact moment, not wanting the man to take any turns that would lead him in her direction. She briefly considered having her driver follow him, before discarding the idea. _No need to rush things_ , she thought as her driver sped towards les Aile du Obscurite, which was only a few blocks away from their current location.

Once they had arrived and her door was opened, she flashed a fake smile at the guard as he greeted her by name. "It's been awhile, Mlle. Bourgeois, how have you been?"

"Absolutely fabulous, whatever your name is. It seems to have slipped my mind at the moment." Chloe brushed her blonde hair over her shoulder as she adjusted her purse strap.

"It's- " The bodyguard tried to tell her his name, but she interrupted him with a wave.

"Here." She flashed her I.D. even though she knew he didn't need to see it. "I'm sure I don't need to remind you, but I'll be in my usual spot."

"Yes, Mlle. Bourgeois." The bodyguard nodded with a slight bow before letting her walk past him.

She walked through the tinted glass doors and past the foyer lost in thought. She briefly paused at le vestiaire to drop off her sunshine yellow Louis Vuitton Epi Leather Noe Purse.

"You know what name to put it under." She had already turned around before she finished speaking, carelessly letting go of her bag. The clerk made a mad dive to catch it before it hit the floor, fearing the consequences if it did.

She entered the bar and lounge area, tapping the bar top to make her presence known. The barman acknowledged her immediately and began preparing her drink as she slid into a large, comfortable chair on the other side of the room. Within minutes her favorite drink, the Suédois de vanille, was in her hand. She sipped it as she reviewed everything she had learned tonight, finally relaxing to reflect and plan. She considered using her father to set up an opportunity to cross paths with the man in the alley, but she disliked having to rely too heavily on her father. He was a failure in every part of his life and she needed this meeting to go off perfectly. If she didn't use him, how could she make sure to be available when this man came calling? She set down her now empty glass as she continued to muse over the situation. Her empty glass was replenished without her noticing as she sank deeper into thought. _Who the fuck was that man?_ She glanced around the room as she heard the clerk greeting someone, her eyes stopping as her jaw dropped at her good luck. _And how the fuck was he able to get into the most prestigious lounge in Paris?_ He took a seat at the bar as she watched and thought to herself, _this place is much more suited for a man like him._ He gestured as he indicated which drink he wanted, the barman nodded and set to work on it. His serpent belt buckle gleamed in the low lighting as he removed his phone from the pocket of his black jeans and proceeded to tap on in intently.

She needed to figure out a way to talk to him discreetly. His drink was already almost gone, so she grabbed a pen from a nearby table, snatching an unused napkin along with it, hurriedly scribbled a message on it and stood up. Walking deeper into the room, she shoved her note into the hand of a waiter.

"Give this to that man at the bar along with another drink."

Not giving the waiter a chance to respond, she sauntered out of the door that lead to the roof access. The city was already dark and the street lamps cast a soft glow below her as she tilted her head up towards the sky. She loved her city, but she missed being able to see the millions of stars the universe held. It wasn't too long after she had settled in that she heard the door slowly open behind her. Hearing the steady drum of his footsteps coming closer and anxious to look him in the eyes, she turned around to face him.

It was as if time stood still as she caught the first whiff of his scent of cigar and leather on the wind, peering into teal eyes that seemed to hold her destiny. Eager to hear the rich baritone she heard in the alleyway, she spoke up before he could, "I know you do business with my father."

Luka was immediately on alert. Not only had Marinette escaped from her apparent eavesdropping, it seemed this girl was also eavesdropping as well. He should've been able to pick up on whether there were people around. Damn that woman, she's caused him to go soft. He grinned maliciously as he thought of the ways in which she would pay for that. In the meantime, this woman was here talking to him like some kind of equal and that just wouldn't do at all. He sauntered over to her, blatantly dragging his gaze from her face down her supermodel figure as slowly as possible. It didn't take him long to realize who this queen standing in front of him was.

"Why, Mlle Bourgeois, I didn't take you for a druggie." His slight smirk caused goosebumps to rise all along her skin. He was the embodiment of _sex_ and she had to have him. Feigning offense, she scoffed and began to walk past him. "I'm not!"

He turned to apologize and grabbed her wrist to bring her back. As soon as their skin touched, a painful but brief burning sensation radiated out from their chests. Shocked, their gazes locked in a silent battle for dominance. His magic pushed around the outer edges of her aura. He broke her gaze with a gasp as his magic found something that he had never seen before - an aura just like his. "Love, I think I'm gonna have to ask you to come back to my hotel room with me. It seems like we have a lot to discuss and I'm not exactly comfortable doing so out in the open. Care to take this party and make it a party of two back at my spot?" His teal eyes pierced through her, causing heat to pool as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and lifted her hand for him to kiss.

Bringing his lips to the back of her hand, he made a show of leaning in for the kiss before flipping her hand over. Now with her wrist exposed, he grazed his lips across before pulling it closer and lightly biting it. Chloe's eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head at the sensation, but she kept her aloof mask on as she watched with a detached interest. She allowed him a moment there before pulling her hand back with the slightest tremor. "So, are we going to stay out here all night or did you actually mean what you said?" She knew she was playing a dangerous game being so coy with a man so drunk off of power, but she wouldn't have it any other way. Playing it safe was for losers.

He didn't miss the trembling of her hand as she pulled it back, a knowing smirk gracing his face before he straightened back up. "Of course I meant it. Do you have a car service or should we use mine?" He had to play his cards right with this woman to get the information he needed to find Marinette, but he also didn't see why he couldn't have his cake and eat it too. Just from the stunt she pulled downstairs and her attitude during their conversation, he knew that she was a woman who always got what she wanted, no matter the cost. She looked out for herself and didn't mind stepping on people to get there. There was also this thing with her aura and his tattoo. Luka didn't believe in all that garbage about soulmates, but maybe this woman's cunning could be of use to him. She seemed stupid enough in her arrogance to be easily exploited and she did have the power and connections he needed to hunt Marinette down. She could prove her worth in her help seeking Marinette. Offering her his arm, he turned and looked down at her expectantly.

"My driver will take us there. You can give him the address when we get in the car. My driver will wait for me at the hotel while we discuss what you are seeking and how I can be of assistance. He will be notified of my location at random times via GPS signal and will call police the first time there is an issue. I'm a very important woman and I do not know you well enough to blindly walk into your domain. That being said, lead the way." She settled her arm against his as they walked down the stairs and to the counter to get her bag. She wanted to remind him that _she_ was in control of her situation, and that they would be walking in as equals, not as a stray lonely girl following a sexy mysterious man. After retrieving her bag they walked out into the chilled night air once more. Luka was struck with a strong sense of deja vu, only he was with a person he'd never thought he'd be able to stomach. They loaded up in her car and he called out the address to her driver.

They pulled up to his hotel after a half hour or so of driving. He got out of the car and walked around to open the door for her. Chloe stepped out and walked past him, completely ignoring it as he held his hand out for her to take. He smirked and slammed the door, focused on this woman with a power hungry attitude. Luka caught up to her and walked past the doorman without saying a word to him. This woman had a strength and air about her that he hadn't seen before. Something about her made the game worth it and he was there to play.

Chloe walked in front of him and Luka shook his head. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her back and she fell into him. If he wasn't playing fair then she wasn't going to either. As they continued down the hallway, Luka suddenly pressed her to the wall and slammed her hands above her head. She slowly turned her head with a smile as he smirked down at her and feathered his breath on her lips. She bit her bottom lip as he rolled his pelvis against hers teasingly and slowly licked from her collar bone, up her neck to her earlobe. He nibbled on her ear and gripped her wrists hard in his hands, sinking his nails into her soft skin. Chloe wedged her knee between his thighs and pushed him so that his back was to the wall now. She grabbed his wrists and flung them at his sides and slowly sank down while keeping her eyes on his. He gave her a sinister smile, as she slid her hands from his wrists to his thighs and up while she bit her tongue with a seductive smile.

She slid her hands towards the bulge in his black jeans and rubbed along his cock through the dense material. Luka growled and bit his bottom lip as he rolled his hips against her hands. " _Mi sottometterai a me, donna,"_ He said as he gripped her golden hair between his fingers and tugged her up onto her feet. She didn't understand a word of Italian, but it didn't really matter to her in the slightest what he was saying. She gasped and he pulled her head back to hungrily kiss along her neck to her lips. She parted her lips and he took that moment to slide his tongue past them and she met his forceful kiss with her own.

Luka flicked her top lip with the tip of his tongue. "I need a little pick me up before this goes down, _tesoro_." She bit her bottom lip and hummed with a smile. She felt love drunk on this dark, mysterious man and she couldn't get enough of him. It was like she had strings and he was pulling each one, controlling her to his every will, but she wasn't willing to submit that easily. _She_ was the one that orchestrated this meeting. She slammed him into the wall by his shoulders and ran her thigh between his legs, causing him to groan against her harsh kiss. She bit his bottom lip and tugged. Luka gripped her upper arms and flipped both of them so that her back hit the wall. She mewled softly and gripped his silver shirt in her fists and pulled him closer with a strength that she didn't know she possessed. There was something so hot about this fight for dominance and she wanted more.

Luka pulled away from her and tugged her forcefully into his hotel room. She ran her hands along his shoulders and around his sides until her fingers reached the buttons on his silk shirt. Chloe slowly began to undo them while he pulled his special knife from his pocket. Something about seeing him turn on the stove and place the giant blade on the burner made her quiver with anticipation for this man. He was the epitome of a bad boy and she was in deep for a man with power and a hint of darkness. She bit his neck with a soft giggle. He looked down at her with a dark smirk and took one of her hands before bringing it to his lips. He bit it with his canine teeth and she yanked her hand away, but the small prick of pain only made her need intensify.

Luka looked at her closely as he watched her nurse her hand. He had pushed a bit more of his magic in her to see how it would react. It seemed to only fuel her if the lust in her eyes was any indicator. Luka turned back to the stove, watching the knife glow red hot before he pulled a rock from the bag in his pocket and a glass straw. Chloe ran her hands up his muscular chest and pressed her breasts against his spine. She continued to undo his shirt while she licked and sucked on his pulse point. He dropped the rock onto the hot blade and let it turn into a vapor before he sucked the smoke up into the straw. He didn't care if it was a waste of his product, he had enough money to burn. Something twisted within Chloe and she found herself sliding her hand down his forearm to the glass straw in his hand with a smirk. Luka was thrilled that she had taken to his control so easily. "I thought you didn't do drugs, _la regina di cuori_?" He smirked with ill intent as he dropped a rock onto the hot blade for her.

"Do not presume to understand why I do what I do, Mystery Man." She watched it turn into a vapor and breathed it in through the tube and felt it take over her senses. Luka slid his hands up her stomach and cupped her breasts from behind her and softly blew along her ear. She felt an electrical charge go through her body and straight between her thighs, causing her to tremble and whimper from his attention.

"Want something that will make you numb and feel like you're a goddess among men?" Luka grazed his teeth along the shell of her ear and she hummed in response with a nod. She decided to let _him_ figure out that she didn't need any drug to make her a goddess. But, there was something about this man that made her want to be under his spell and within his control, so she figured she'd give what he was offering a shot. Whether it was the drugs kicking in or her soul… she couldn't decide which it was.

Luka turned the burner off and removed the blade. He pulled out a cigarette from his back pocket and lit the end against the knife, taking a long drag. Chloe's eyes widened and she felt her panties soak. He held the cigarette between his lips, pulled an 8-ball out of his pocket, a glass mirrored tray from the small entryway table and brought it over to the kitchen. She clung to him like her life depended on it. All she wanted to do was touch him and feel his skin on hers. He poured the white powder onto the glass tray and cut it. Luka smirked and took the cigarette from his lips and lifted his face to the ceiling and let the smoke out slowly. He peered over at a passion-filled Chloe that was hungry for him and only him. "You got a 100?"

Chloe walked over to her purse and opened it without much thought and produced a 100 euro note. She brought it over and he gripped her chin with his nails. He smirked and pulled her in for an alluring kiss. He tasted of smoke and sweet liquor and temptation. He pushed her away and rolled the euro note then ran it along the line and snorted it all. He pushed his index finger over the other nostril and sniffed one last time. "Your turn, _la regina di cuori._ " He poured out more and cut it for her then passed her the euro note.

Chloe bent over and he brushed his hands up her thighs as she sucked the white powder through the note. She felt her nose go numb and every sense thereafter. She sniffed and suddenly turned around and gripped his shirt, ripping it from his arms. He smirked as he fell against the opposite wall. She bit his bottom lip and slid her hand down his chest to his belt buckle and popped it open. Luka licked his lips and peered down at her. He grabbed her and picked her up. She captured his lips and tugged at his hair. She wanted to take all of him to show him who was boss. That she was the one in control and not him. She wouldn't be controlled by any man, even one as powerful as this one. Luka set his cigarette into a tray and wiped all of the items from the desk in the room and they clattered to the floor. He greedily kissed her and ran his tongue along hers as he set her down on the desk. She moaned and shrugged off her coat. Luka couldn't wait any longer and it wasn't his style to. He took her shirt in between his hands and ripped it open. She arched her back, as he kissed a line from her neck to in between her breasts, where he swiped his tongue along the bee tattoo that sat where her heart should be, feeling it's power and strength against his tongue. He groaned as his cock twitched in its confines and she cried out as he sent a current to her swollen clit, soaking her black silk panties.

Luka pulled her wrist to his lips and bit down hard, tasting blood on his tongue. She slapped the back of his head with her free hand to let him know that she wasn't helpless and widened her legs, wanting more from him. The pain ricocheted up her arm and caused her adrenaline to spike. He sucked on her pulse and kissed up her arm until he reached her breasts again. She stood with a smile that could kill lesser men and pressed her bright yellow stiletto heel into his chest, causing his chair to roll backwards with a push. Luka gave her a dark expression and peered through his dark lashes at the woman that was in control at the moment. Chloe stood in front of him and stole the cigarette from the tray that he had set it in. She put it between her lips and took a drag, working the clasp on her skirt before letting it drop to her ankles. She shrugged off the tattered remains of her shirt, leaving her in a matching bra and pantie set and the yellow heels. Luka didn't know how he had gotten so lucky, but he felt like he had this woman wrapped around his finger and he knew he had to have her in his pocket. He had to find Marinette and she was his ticket to her, but also something about her drew him in. He needed to unravel this mystery of a woman, and piece her back together to serve him and only him.

Chloe sauntered up to him, leaning down to accent her breasts, and pushed him onto the bed. He looked up at her with a devilish grin as he allowed his body to fall back. She crawled up his body and straddled her hips with the cigarette still dangling her lips. He ran his hands up her thighs like twin serpents as she rolled her hips along his arousal. He slowly licked his index finger and thumb before putting the end of her cigarette out. He pulled it from her lips and flicked it over the side of the bed, not caring where it landed. He growled and returned his hand to her hip, before letting his fingertips bite into her hip bones. He slid one of his hands up her back and gripped the back of her neck, yanking her down into a deep kiss. Luka pressed his tongue past her lips making her moan as he filled her mouth, and she ran her tongue along his frantically.

"That's it, my little _ape regina_." Luka broke from the kiss and ripped her panties free from her hips. She yanked his belt from the loops and he lifted his hips to help her get his jeans off. Chloe took in the fact that the man didn't wear anything beneath them and that drove her wild. The deep v at his hips intrigued her and she slid down to lick along it. He shifted his hips and maneuvered her to where he wanted her mouth to be, pressing his hand against her shoulder. "To the left, _la regina di cuori._ " He hissed out as she nipped his right hip with her teeth.

She slowly licked up the length of him, her gaze taking in his smirk through her lashes, as she wrapped her lips around the head of his swollen cock. He was bigger than she thought he would be and sweeter tasting than any man that she had ever had before. She worked him with her mouth and tongue, causing him to moan and growl in pleasure. He sank his fingers into her hair and pulled causing her scalp to sting. She hissed and lightly grazed him with her teeth.

Luka yanked her from his dick and flipped her to trap her beneath him. He took his blade from the pocket of his jeans and slid the cool sharp edge beneath the front of her bra and suddenly slashed it through, causing her breasts to bounce free. She bit her lip and arched her back as he slid the blade between her breasts and down to her pelvis. Her adrenaline buzzed and her pulse sped up at the thrill of the steel on her heated skin. He ran the dull edge back up and along her neck, resting the point below her chin, while he bent over and stole a kiss from her lips. He knew he almost had her where he wanted her, but to make sure he slammed the blade above her head into the oak headboard and she shrieked and giggled, before she yanked him back down for a power hungry kiss. "Did you like that?" Luka smirked at her and slowly turned his head with dark intent.

"Shut up and fuck me already. Unless you're all talk…." Chloe raised her hips up to meet his and he grabbed her chin and pushed her head up, regaining access to her neck. He licked and kissed along it as he slammed his cock into her wet core. She screamed out and clutched his back with her nails and wrapped her legs around his hips. He gripped the pillows above her head and fucked her harder. He didn't care if it hurt her or if she liked it. She was going to give him answers after they were done, whether she wanted to or not. He slid his hand up her toned stomach, running his fingers along the small indentation from the trail of his knife before running his fingers around her bee tattoo. She felt a current go through her again and stimulate her clit, while his throbbing cock filled her and worked her towards the edge.

He reached beside him and grabbed his belt, wrapping it around her wrists and holding her hands above her head so that she couldn't touch him. "I got you pinned good now, _il mio prigioniero_." He pulled his knife out from where it was wedged into the wood before slamming it through the cross of the belt. Now she was fully contained, tied up with a belt and held to the headboard with his knife. Luka licked her tattoo with the tip of his tongue and flicked it and she cried out and arched her back with curled toes.

Chloe panted and felt like he was in her head, controlling her every reaction and every move; but she was still had a few tricks up her own sleeves. She suddenly pressed the heel of her stiletto into his calf and he yelped before falling back to grasp at it. Using this moment of distraction to her advantage, she yanked her hands downward as hard as she could, causing the knife to spin away. She worked the belt, setting her hands free enough to flip them over. Seeing him still in shock, she sat up and quickly wrapped the belt around his neck and pulled. She tugged him up to a sitting position with his cock buried between her soaking folds. " _Now_ who's the one pinned?" She smirked at him, savoring the feeling of power, like she was above him and more powerful than this man beneath her ever dreamed she could be.

He gave her a crooked smile, and chuckled. "You gotta pull tighter than that, _miele_." Luka threw her back beneath him and trapped her. He thrust into her and bit her nipple between his teeth and she hissed as pain and pleasure mixed together into the perfect symphany. The little stunt she pulled had caused his mood to sour, and he was out of patience. He was going to keep playing with his food, but now he only wanted her to answer his questions and to _dominate_ her while she did. "You gonna tell me where your little friend is?" He brought her close to the edge and she moaned and grasped at him. He pulled out and kissed down her body, as her hips rocked into the air, begging for release. "Hm? The girl with midnight hair and blue highlights?" He slowly kissed along her pelvis and grazed the curve above her swollen clit. She felt like she was going to explode and just one little flick of his tongue would bring her over the edge and send her flying. "How about where her parents live? I know she has the picture perfect family." He slowly spread her legs and softly kissed along her folds. "I know you know where she would be…" Luka kissed back up to her tingling clit with each word. Her legs shook with anticipation and torturous need. She wanted him to suck her, lick her, fuck her until she couldn't walk the next day. She wouldn't, _couldn't_ , think about that hussy when she was so close to release. "You know who I'm talking about... _Mar-i-nette_." He drew her name out like it was the most delicious dessert that she had ever heard. Chloe bucked her hips and whimpered for mercy, but something in her mind kicked her out of it and she pushed him onto his back.

"You think I'd tell you where that two-timing low life is? You think I _care_ where the fuck she is right now? You think you are allowed to think about _her_ while fucking me?" Chloe's temper got the best of her and she knew that she had crossed whatever boundary he had set. He gave a short mocking laugh and threw her beneath him, all traces of playfulness gone from his expression as he pinned her down by her neck.

"I had my doubts that you could string together enough brain cells to keep track of yourself, let alone someone who is twice the woman you'll ever be." Luka sneered down at her and flicked her top lip with his tongue. Chloe glared at him in absolute fury. How dare he insult her like that! She had walked into this room wanting to win and right now she felt like she never had a chance. Something about him wanting to know about Marinette made her realize her place in his world, and she saw that he believed he was above her paygrade. She tried to think of a strategy that would put her back on top of the situation, but a fog was slowly creeping over her mind. Real panic started to set in as she realized there had always been more at play than she knew. He could somehow manipulate her soul, she recognized it now. Each touch had been calculated, each play at her was part of his plan. Just as her body fully submitted to his magic, a tear escaped the corner of eye. Years of pushing people away and treating the only friend she had like garbage ensured that there would be no one looking for her, no one to miss her if she disappeared. She tried to force out that she knew, she _knew_ where Marinette was, but it was like she was screaming in her head, no sound escaping her lips except a puff of air.

"Now that I have your _undivided_ attention, you will start telling me what I want to know. But, I think a little punishment will be in order while you give me what I want, _il mio prigioniero_." He felt her body go compliant underneath him. Confident now that he could proceed, He rose over her, watching her terrified eyes follow his movement. Once he was lined up, he cracked his hand across her face. Her head snapped to the side and a angry red handprint bloomed across her cheek. Grinning with sick glee, he gathered her hair and straightened her back out before tilting her chin up. He commanded her to open her mouth, waiting for her to open wide enough before he slammed his shaft down her throat. Keeping her head still against his thrusts, he ground out "Now… Where. Is. Marinette?" She gurgled against him, more tears leaking out of her eyes. She couldn't answer because of his cock going down her throat, but she was terrified of staying silent.

"Mmmgnntwwweaann…" She strove to form a coherent sentence to appease the animal above her.

"We're finally getting somewhere. I'm glad you could be persuaded to see reason." Luka's release came as he finally broke the woman underneath him. She would do whatever he wanted now, and the power from that thought was enough for his load to erupt down her throat. The world narrowed down to his pleasure only until his orgasm eased. Not bothering to warn her, he pulled out and away from her. He was a man that learned from his mistakes, so he wouldn't be leaving this one alone. He grudgingly admitted to himself that this woman was the only person to give him a run for his money in a very long time. He could respect that. After she gave him the information he desired, he would give her a choice he had yet to offer any other person: join him or walk away. He had a feeling he would know what she would choose, but for some strange reason he wanted her to be the one to make the decision. Pulling all his magical influence out of her, he grabbed her arms and pulled her up. Wrapping his arms around her loosely, he supported her weight as he waited for her panic to subside. He wondered if this was as close to an equal relationship as he was about to get. It all depended on her.

Chloe took a few deep calming breaths, and then took a few more. She appreciated the sudden sweetness he seemed to be showing her. But only for one purpose. As she felt the fog in her mind lifting, she felt the strength flow through her muscles. Her throat was raw, but she cleared it a few times and it felt a little more usable. Leaning away from his embrace, she looked up into his face. Smiling, she leaned forward and placed a light kiss upon his cheek. As she did, her arm slowly raised up, so that when they parted her hand cracked across his face with all the force of a woman scorned. The smile on her face turned sharp as she watched his expression go from serene to disbelieving. "I will help you find Marinette. BUT, it will be on my _own_ terms, and you WILL NEVER do that to me again." Her aura suddenly flared around her, pushing his magical presence down. She caressed the red mark along his cheek, turning his head back to her.

" _Mia regina_ , I accept your terms. I want you to join me as my partner, my equal. Tell me what you know, and I will tell you my plans." If Luka understood or responded to anything, it was power. This woman had power and, even better, she knew how to _use_ that power. It was such a refreshing change of pace for him. Surrounded by idiots and minions that had to have their hands held to carry out his wishes; this woman promised to challenge his every move. He didn't place her in the same realm as his _bella_ , but he knew she was going to play a key role in his life.

"First you will replace my clothes you destroyed. Once you do that, then we'll talk." Chloe smirked down at him.


	11. Reunion

"Ma - Mari?"

Marinette's world had reduced to the green eyes staring at her in disbelief. She wanted to turn back time, if only to wipe the pain from those eyes, but there was nothing she could do or say to make it better. She had to get away from Luka before she could do anything to mend her friendship (she wasn't naive enough to believe they still had a chance at a relationship, as much as it pained her to admit it) with the man in front of her.

"A- Adrien! Adrien, there's a man after me! I need to go, I've got to get away before he finds me!" Marinette pushed herself to her feet, still reeling from her crash into Adrien and from breathing in his scent for the first time in months. She shook her head as she heard the tell-tale pounding of footsteps getting ready to come around the corner and spot them. Terrified of what would happen if Adrien came into contact with Luka, she frantically turned her head trying to find a hiding spot that would hide both of them safely.

Adrien couldn't process what was happening. After all this time, she was right in front of him once again. The moment their bodies touched his mind had gone blank. She was finally back. For a brief moment it was like no time had passed since the last time he was staring into her bluebell eyes, telling her how much he loved her. He savored the image of her body against his, before her words finally pierced the pleasant haze in his mind. The content feeling was quickly followed by a furious energy. Whether it was because she had abandoned him, or because she was in danger, he couldn't be sure. Suddenly, time slowed down, leaving him plenty of time to think of an escape for them. He knew that there was a doorway directly caddy corner to where they stood. This particular doorway was deeper than normal and, because of the time of night, had shadows deep enough to shield them from whoever was pursuing her.

Grabbing her hand, ignoring the flash of lightning that traveled up his arm when he did so, he yanked her across the street to the doorway. He could hear the steps approaching them, an ominous presence he couldn't place filling his senses. He could feel Marinette's terror like a palpable thing. Whoever this was, she was terrified of him. Reaching the doorway mere seconds before Luka burst out into the street, Adrien spun Marinette around his body, shoving her into the recesses of the shadows and pressing her against the wall. He pushed her into a crouch before shielding her with his body. He didn't know how effective this would be, but he could only hope it would allow them to be shielded enough that he wouldn't notice them. Even if he did, he sure as hell wouldn't let this man have his Lady without a fight.

Now that there was no more room to run, and no more space to avoid each other, their gazes locked. Marinette was breathing heavily, a combination of panic and exertion causing her chest to heave too fast. At this rate, she was going to pass out if she didn't calm down. Things were happening too quickly for her, and her body wasn't responding to all the stress well. Adrien read the panic in her face and tried to come up with something that would calm her down. She was breathing so loudly he was sure the man would hear her if he didn't do something quickly.

"Mari, calm down! You've gotta get your breathing under control, otherwise he'll hear us!" Adrien whispered loudly, desperate to calm her down to prevent her passing out. Her eyes continued to be glazed over, no recognition that he had spoken in them. Seeing her like this ripped him apart. What had this man done to her to make her so afraid? Fearing what he would find out when she told him, he did the only thing he could think of to get her attention.

He kissed her.

Luka was tired of this game. He was tired of this woman always escaping his grasp, never being where he thought she was, and never giving up. His magic flared out in his anger, his reading on her growing stronger. She was just around this corner and down the alleyway. For some reason she had stopped, but he shrugged off his curiosity. Probably trying to figure out which way to go next. He would use her panic and exhaustion against her, and keep following her until she ran out of energy.

He ran to the end of the alleyway where she had stopped, but just as he emerged, her signature dropped off. He stopped running in confusion. He couldn't feel her _at all_. It was like she had vanished, like she had never been there. He turned in the street, looking all around as his magic reached further and further trying to pinpoint her location. Nothing. She disappeared, and he had no idea how or why. He could sense the people in the buildings and the animals around, but no other humans were outside. Infuriated at this turn of events, he raised his voice and yelled out in his frustration.

"MARINETTE! I don't know what you've done to escape me yet again, but I promise you will _REGRET IT! Bella,_ I will make sure you pay for the trouble you have caused me. I will never stop looking for you! You might've escaped me tonight, but YOU CAN'T HIDE FOREVER!" He stopped yelling at the night sky, putting his hands in his hair and pulling his black and blue locks as hard as he could. He let out one last growl of frustration before he collected himself and straightened up. Taking a deep breath and releasing it, he smiled. "Yes, I will make you wear my colors before long, _il mio compagno preferito_. Black and blue, everyone will know you're mine then. Enjoy your victory, because I guarantee it's only temporary."

With one last glance around, he smirked and walked away.

Adrien was _kissing_ her! His hands were gently pulling her into him, getting as close as possible in the cramped conditions. One hand cupped the side of her face, the other reached down to intertwine their fingers together. His touch on her was gentle, but his kiss was anything but.

Flames of passion consumed Adrien's body once he realized she wasn't going to pull away. That she wanted this as badly as he did. The sound of pursuit dimmed as he continued to get carried away by his emotions. Tilting his head, he nipped at her bottom lip so that he could deepen the kiss. She gasped, her lips parting. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip before plunging it inside her mouth. He could feel her body shudder as he ravaged her mouth, alternating between running his tongue along hers and kissing her harder. Just as he was about to start a trail down to her neck, he realized he was starting to taste something salty. She was crying. The fire now doused like a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped on it, Adrien came back down to earth. She wasn't kissing him back. Her body wasn't shuddering with passion like his was, she was shuddering out of _fear_. Something he was doing was wrong, but he didn't know what it could be. She wanted this, right? She hadn't pulled away when he leaned in. His mind recoiled as he realized he had _pinned her to the wall_. Of course she wouldn't be able to get away. The hand that had intertwined their fingers had pinned her hand to the wall as well, so she wouldn't be able to push away even if she wanted to. His leaned back to look into her eyes, only to find that they were clenched tightly shut, the tears leaking from under her lashes. Her body was limp, while her knees trembled, as if she had given up on struggling and was simply _there_. Adrien felt nauseated at the thought of his actions causing her to respond this way. He dropped her hand like she had burned him, moving away to where she was still shielded but he was no longer touching her. Since her eyes refused to open, even though he had moved away, he focused back on the man pursuing her. Hearing his tirade about Marinette and what he planned to do caused a chill to run down Adrien's spine. He sounded so… possessive. The way he spoke about Marinette made Adrien think of a puppeteer pulling the strings of a puppet whose strings were tangled. He didn't care why Marinette was running from him in that moment, he just wanted her to never be around him again.

Once Luka finished his crazed tirade and walked off, Adrien straightened up and stood back from Marinette. He offered Marinette a hand to help her up, but she remained in the same position. Scared she had become catatonic, he crouched back down, making sure to keep a healthy amount of distance away from her.

"Marinette…" A lump formed in his throat and he couldn't speak around it for a moment. "He- he's gone, Mari. I don't think he's coming back. You're safe now." He rambled, hoping these reassurances would cause her to relax, cause any sort of reaction from her at all. He studied her body, noting the state of her dress and that she didn't have any shoes on. He could see a smattering of bruises in spots that made him wonder where else she was injured. She had obviously been through something traumatizing and he wanted to give her enough time to be comfortable with him, but he needed to get her away from here in case the man came back. He reached a hand out towards her to rest on her shoulder, hesitating before placing just the tips of his fingers onto her hypersensitive skin.

It was like he had branded her. Her eyes snapped open and her arm shot up, batting his hand away from her skin with such force he almost lost his balance. A fire like none he had seen before blazed in her eyes, and the force of it stunned him. She surged forwards, pushing him back before standing to her feet. He could tell that she was getting ready to run, her back already to him as she calculated which direction to go, but she wasn't going to get away from him that easily. He had a hunch that her reaction was not necessarily directed towards him, her fight or flight instincts taking over her common sense. He just needed to snap her out of it so that they could get to safety.

"MARINETTE! It's me! Adrien! ….Your Kitty. Don't you recognize me?" Adrien hoped beyond hope that the use of her old nickname for him would have the effect he needed it to. What he didn't count on was the prick in his eyes from tears. He hadn't said those words in such a long time, the memories associated with them threatened to take him over. He pushed them back as he saw her slowly turn to face him once more.

"My… Kitty? Adrien?" Marinette's eyes settled on his prone form, clear bluebell eyes that sparkled with unshed tears. She raised a shaking hand to her mouth as she dropped to her knees in front of him. "Adrien… I'm so sorry… I- I don't know what came over me. I was scared, scared of…." She trailed off as the dam finally broke and tears streaked down her cheeks. She started to bodily shake as she opened and closed her mouth trying to find the words she needed to say. Hearing him say those words ripped open the gaping wound in her hole she had managed to messily sew shut and ignore while in Milan. She felt despair tug her into a bottomless pit of hurt. Her kitty was in front of her, had _saved_ her life without a second thought, but her recent actions had caused a chasm between them that couldn't be breached. The distance between them was sharpened like a knife. She was ashamed of herself, and how her life had spiraled out of control. If she had just listened to him, and made the compromise, none of this would have happened. They both could have spent all these months happy together, instead of distant and numb. She had robbed him of his happiness in favor of what she thought would make her happy. _If ever there was a person that deserved what they got_ , she thought, _it's me_.

Adrien's heart leapt as she spoke those words to him. She had finally returned to the Marinette he loved. Of course he had never stopped loving her. All these months, it was always her. When the sensations had first started filtering through his almost forgotten tattoo last night, he had known she would return to him soon. He didn't know how he knew, but he did. It was like the universe was a magnet, pulling them together no matter how much they fought to stay apart. He felt complete in her presence. Even the anger simmering beneath the surface of his thoughts couldn't trump the feeling of being _home_ around her. They had a lot to talk about, and he acknowledged that without hesitation, but she would always be his home.

"Marinette, do you have somewhere we can go that's safe for you?" Adrien stood up, pulling her up as well.

"N- No. I just got into town tonight. Alya brought me back after…. No one knows I'm here but her and Nino. And now you." Marinette wanted to hug him so badly, wanted to express her gratitude for his rescue, but something held her back. Maybe the weight of the past.

"I'd venture to say it's not just us that know you're back…" His crooked smile was tight but real.

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Marinette's shaky laugh trailed off into silence as she wondered how to throw herself off a building before he noticed.

"Well, since you don't have a private place we can talk, we can go back to my loft. It's only a half hour walk from here. When you," he cleared his throat nervously, deciding to skim over the details of their reunion, "When we ran into each other, I was taking a walk to clear my head. So it won't be too far. I- Is that okay?" A sudden thought had struck Adrien, that maybe she didn't want to be alone with him. He wanted to make sure to give her an out if she needed it.

"YES! I mean, of course. Lead the way." Marinette's voice rose at the thought of being alone with Adrien, causing her words to taper off into a squeak. A faint blush spread across her cheeks. She felt reduced to her shy, awkward fifteen year old self around him suddenly and under different circumstances she would've laughed at the thought. Instead, she just shook the thoughts out of her mind and wrapped her arms around herself. She was starting to feel the cold of the Parisian night creep under her skin. The rips and tears in her dress caused breezes to tickle her skin as she followed him out of the doorway. She felt filthy inside and out. Maybe she'd be able to scrub the last couple days off of her skin if she scrubbed hard enough in the shower. Looking at Adrien's back, she noticed he was wearing a long, black Sylvester trench coat that covered the rest of his outfit from her scrutiny. She had only ever seen Adrien wear black a couple of times (outside of his Chat Noir outfits she had made him over the years), so she was surprised to see him in something like that. It made her wonder if he still had the clothes she had made him, or if he had thrown them out with the memory of her. The thoughts of all the times they had traversed the city as Ladybug and Chat Noir: playing superheroes as children, awkward conversations as teens, and serene walks spent enjoying each other's company threatened to overwhelm her. She hadn't realized she had stopped until he turned around with a worried expression. She could see the anger behind the concern. Anger at her. Rightfully so, too. She would take whatever he threw at her once the conversation that needed to happen came to pass. She deserved his hatred, deserved to be thrown away from him like a disgusting piece of garbage. Her filth must revolt him.

Adrien realized Marinette was no longer right behind him after a few steps. He turned around, not knowing what to expect. She was standing still, staring off into the distance, arms protectively wrapped around herself. She might've just been cold, but it was more likely that she was about to go to pieces right there. He removed his coat and walked the couple steps back to her, wrapping it around her shoulders. She jumped at the warmth suddenly surrounding her and he smiled at how she still had the tendency to get completely immersed in her thoughts. He could tell whatever she was pondering was causing her pain, but it was no longer his place to comfort her. The best he could do was take care of her physical needs and hope to be there for her whatever else way she would allow him to be.

"Adrien, I can't wear this! I'm filthy. I'm… Disgusting."

Adrien heard the double meaning in her words clearly, but he refused to take the coat back from her. "Mari, don't be ridiculous. You barely have anything on. It's just a coat. Nothing special about it. When we get back to my apartment, _then_ you can return it to me, okay?" Adrien calmly replaced it back on her shoulders after she tried to hand it back to him.

"...Okay." Marinette didn't deserve the kindness Adrien was giving her. Her thoughts swirled around in circles of blame and loathing, all directed at herself for letting this man slip through her fingers.

"I'm a little worried about you, so why don't we walk side by side? We don't have to touch or anything like that, but I'd like to keep you in my line of sight just in case you go into shock or something." Adrien tried to keep his reasons logical in the hopes she would respond favorably. If he was being honest with himself, it was because he just wanted to have her close to him again.

Marinette didn't verbally respond to his request, but she did speed up to where she was next to him. She desperately wanted to reach out and grab his hand, but she was scared of the rejection. She settled for brushing against him every few strides as they continued towards their destination. Adrien must have noticed her intentional touching after a few moments, because he reached his hand out and hooked his pinky around hers. Neither of them acknowledged the gesture, but both breathed a sigh of relief at the physical contact. Marinette could almost pretend that the past six months hadn't happened, that they were just out for a stroll after a fashion show. She was in a dress he had made for her and he had offered his coat like the gentleman he was. They were strolling around their city as they had done so many nights before, heading towards their home together where their love was strong. Marinette's heart clenched as the illusion broke when they arrived at the building he lived in. She didn't recognize the neighborhood, didn't know the way, and had no place in his life here. A small sob escaped her as they passed the bellman. Sensing her impending breakdown, Adrien sped towards the elevators. He lived on the 8th floor, so they had a bit of a ride before arriving. Alone in the elevator, he released her hand and cleared his throat. This was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do, this being next to her but not allowed to love her or comfort her cries. He was at a loss as to what he could do to help her, so he just tapped his foot impatiently. The elevator finally arrived on his floor and he stepped out, feeling her follow closely behind him. The silence between them was deafening and he didn't know how much longer he would be able to take it. Unlocking his door, he stood to the side to allow her to walk through.

She walked inside and her heart stopped at the sight of his extravagant apartment. It was dark and brooding and it reminded her of the perfect mixture of Adrien and her kitty. Marinette didn't say a word and felt incredibly out of place now that she was here in his home. She was afraid to touch anything in fear of soiling it with her fingertips and body. Every part of her was filthy and unworthy of him and she had never felt it to be more true than at that very moment. The deep warm browns mixed with the creams and black tones revolved around her, while punches of gold shined through the darkness. His home was beautiful yet seemed broken. That was when she noticed he was watching her in silence with a concerned expression on his angelic face. She noticed the hint of sadness in the gold flecks of his peridot eyes. She jumped and suddenly went to slide his coat from her shoulders, not wanting to soil it anymore. If she had her way, she would burn it. Set it on flames to rid it of the touches of another man. She felt like she was going to fall apart again as the memories of Luka filled her head, making the coat slip from her fingertips and her hands fly up to her mouth. Her knees wanted to give out as they trembled and Adrien took note of how her legs shook slightly. He left the coat on the floor and tried to smile for her, but it was his fake model one and he knew she would see through it. They had too many years between them for her to believe it so easily.

He cleared his throat and gestured to a dark chocolate, brown leather upholstered sofa that sat across from a loveseat in a matching style. "Would you like to sit down?" Marinette shot an incredulous look up at him with wide eyes and held her arms around herself, as a shiver went up her spine. She rapidly shook her head and a cry burst out from her lips that she had been holding back. She couldn't get Luka all over his nice leather couches. His nice luxury apartment. This dress wasn't even fit to touch the dark wood floors. _Oh God, What if Luka finds me? What if he found Adrien's apartment? What if he found Adrien and killed him? What if-_ The thoughts spiraled in her mind and she felt the vortex from them threatening to swallow her whole.

"C'mon, Mari. You're shaking. Let's just go sit down. It's okay. I don't know what happened to you when you were in Milan, but it's over now and I won't let it happen ever again." Adrien wanted to help her desperately. To say anything that would make her pain stop, but every word only hurt him that much more. Seeing her tremble and shatter into pieces made his heart clench and break. He felt like he was being stabbed by a million daggers and he had no way to make the torture stop. He could only imagine what she was going through. This wasn't the strong Ladybug he knew. She wasn't the same woman who had left him six months ago, excited to start a new career and a new life in a new city. Something was wrong and it made him both upset and angry. He clenched his fists and tried to hold back his irritation, taking a deep breath to calm down. Desperation filled his head and competed with his logic, which was rapidly dwindling. He had to keep his head straight if he was going to survive this. She was back. Broken, but she was in his home. An event that he thought would never happen. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

"NO!" Marinette shouted out the words like a bullet from a gun. She shook and sobbed with anger and hatred for herself. "I- I don't want to touch your things. Your house. I- I don't want to-" She couldn't get the words out from her swollen, bruised, dry mouth. They got caught in her throat and she felt so ashamed. Felt like she needed to leave. That maybe this wasn't the best idea for her, to have agreed to have come over to his place. To ruin his oasis from his heavily controlled life.

Adrien thought for a moment, afraid he was losing her to her looping thoughts once more. He tapped his chin and caught the sight of an old black blanket that he had been thinking of retiring soon anyway. "Here, I was going to get rid of this soon anyway." He unfolded it and laid it over the couch. "Is- is this okay?" He didn't know what else to do. He needed her to sit and calm down before she passed out on the floor. He was at a loss for how to handle her. He couldn't touch her still and she didn't want to touch anything.

Marinette worried her bottom lip, trying to decide whether she felt it was safe to do what he had asked. If she was worthy of sitting on the old, fraying blanket. If it was even enough to keep Luka from spreading onto the brown leather. Finally deciding that it was probably okay, she nodded and walked over to the couch with wobbly legs. He sighed, feeling a little relieved that she would at least sit on an old blanket, but his thoughts went to why she wouldn't just sit on his couch. He didn't care if she got it dirty. Hell, he didn't care if she got his whole apartment filthy. He just wanted her to be okay and wanted her to feel safe. "Do you want something to drink? Would that make you feel better, Mari?"

Marinette didn't know what she wanted exactly. Her thoughts were spinning in circles and dive bombing into holes that were self-deprecating. _What if he hates me? What if he kicks me out? What if he decides that I'm not worthy? What if he leaves? What if I screw this all up and he thinks I'm disgusting and that I don't belong here? What if he chooses to let me try to handle this on my own? Should I handle this on my own? I mean it doesn't involve him… Should I involve him in this mess that I've made? I'm a horrible person. Why did I do this to him… to me? Why did I let this happen? I should- I should have listened to his logic and not my heart. He was right. He's always right. I'm so stupid. I'm so-_

"Marinette?" Adrien tried again to grab her attention and pull her out of her reverie, sensing that she was lost in her own thoughts again. She jumped with a squeak and quickly checked to make sure her mangled dress hadn't touch the leather anywhere. She was relieved to find that it hadn't left the borders of the old blanket. He searched her eyes with his own and she saw how the corners of his mouth didn't curl up like they used to, but slightly dipped down.

"Y-yes, please." Marinette managed to get out, as she curled the hem of her broken dress in her hands. The dress that he had made for her. That had been broken and beaten by a man with a serpent tattoo that still burned in her mind like a brand. A brand that scarred her skin and caused it to smolder while he laughed. Haunting her and causing her to hate herself all over again. Her skin crawled when she thought of his calloused fingertips on her skin, tugging her, choking her, slapping her. She touched her lips with shaking fingers, feeling his kiss and dick still on them. Marinette just wanted to erase it all and it seemed like everything was crashing back down onto her all over again and she shivered and felt sick at the memory. Her stomach turned and she tried to calm down, but she couldn't make it stop. Couldn't make the scaley touch of a sadistic man leave her skin… her lips.

Adrien walked into his massive kitchen. Its' walls were a deep rich honey brown with greyish brown tile floors. The cabinets were a dark coffee brown with modern stainless steel accented lines decorating the edges. The lighting was recessed and gave off a golden glow above a spacious stainless steel kitchen island. He sighed and tugged the front of his blonde hair as he opened his stainless steel refrigerator and pulled out two cold water bottles. He rolled his shoulders, letting the fridge close on its own as he released the door. Adrien gathered up the courage to face the woman in his living room. He knew it was hard for her, but it was hard for him too. His heart still ached from when she had left him for a job that she had been excited for. He had felt betrayed and felt unloved. Like the time they had been together had all been a lie.

Adrien shook off his pain and stepped back into the living room. He set the waters on the multiple pieced gold metal coffee table that sat in front of her and noticed her shiver. Adrien walked over to the fireplace, that was framed in a filigree of gold, and threw a few logs of wood in before setting them on fire. He didn't know whether she was cold or just scared, but he figured he would add some warmth to try and help her either way. He always felt like a fireplace made everything seem more cozy and more home-like. His father had never used his and he had always dreamed of using one when he had his own place. There was something romantic about reading under a blanket with a fireplace roaring. He had hoped that Marinette would be there too beneath the blanket with him, curled up against his side, maybe knitting a pink hat for their unborn child, and that was another reason why he had looked for an apartment with one specifically. But that thought hurt him and made his heart ache when he saw her the way she was now. When he thought about how she had left him… alone. How she had not even considered having that option with him, in favor of a job. Not letting him go with her to Milan. How she had this crazed man chasing after her that he had no idea about. And the thought of that man touching her, or being near her, or even knowing her name made his emotions boil. He suddenly slammed his fist above the mantle, causing Marinette to jump.

 _He's mad because of me. Because I'm here. It's all my fault. Everything is my fault. I'm awful. I shouldn't be here. I- I need to leave. I'm hurting him. I'm in a dress that he paid to have made for me and I- I'm on his couch. Another man ripped it and it's all my fault. I let him do it. I let him break this dress. I let this happen._ Marinette twisted the bracelet around her wrist and hiccuped as tears fell from her dull blue eyes that reflected an early morning storm. "I- I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…. I'm sorry. A- Adrien. I'm so sorry." She couldn't stop apologizing, but even then she knew nothing she said felt good enough. Nothing she said would make this whole ordeal better or easier.

Adrien was confused as to why she kept apologizing and he shook his aching hand, making the sting of the wood tile of the wall dissipate from his reddened knuckles. When he finally slowly turned to face her, he saw the fear in her eyes like she had done something horribly wrong and that made him worry more. He cursed himself mentally for letting his emotions get the better of him. He hadn't meant to show his anger. He hadn't meant to punch the wall, but he hadn't controlled his actions and had lost his resolve. He was frustrated and upset that she kept apologizing for something that he couldn't put together on his own. His eyes focused on the bracelet that she was busy winding around her wrist, causing a red burn mark to go around her wrist. Adrien turned back to the fireplace and reached into his pocket, feeling the tattered thread of his bracelet. Even after she left, he still kept it with him at all times. He rubbed the center charm with his thumb and stepped away from the fireplace and sat down beside her. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Marinette watched him with cautious eyes and her bottom lip trembled. "I- I failed you. I- You're going to hate me. To tell me how much of a whore I am. You're gonna want to run away. You're gonna- gonna-" Her words broke and she covered her face and burst into tears and all he wanted to do was tell her that she was wrong while he held her and wiped her tears from her eyes. He just wanted to make her feel better. Her words stung him and he felt his throat swell and he swallowed hard to try and calm the sensation of his throat being scraped by a serrated knife.

"Mari. You can tell me. I promise I won't run. I won't tell you to leave. I won't hate you. I could _NEVER_ hate you." Adrien slowly reached for her shaking hand, unsure if she would let him touch her hand or not. He wanted to run his thumb along her knuckles, but he didn't think she wanted him to touch her for some reason. "It's okay."

Marinette felt the words and the truth bubble up her throat and fall from her lips. They came out in a burst of emotion and raw tears. Her throat was irritated, she felt sick, and everything felt wrong. "Alya surprised me and picked this dress out…of my closet." She sobbed and her voice went up into a high pitch as she didn't meet his eyes and lightly pulled at the hem of her once beautiful dress that had the most picture perfect memory to it, before Luka had shattered its mirror of perfection and storybook happiness. Adrien nodded and just tried to be there for her. He knew Alya had planned to go out there to surprise her. Nino had told him about it, but he had shut down, barely listening to his best friend at the time.

Marinette breathed out and continued to rant as her voice cracked and she felt her stomach do flips. "And there were these two guys, who came up to us… and- and they wouldn't take no for an answer…" She wiped her nose with the back of her hand and Adrien felt anger rise from the pit of his stomach. This story was turning fast and he hid his left hand as it quickly became a fist, his knuckles pure white from the pressure as he set his jaw.

Marinette's voice broke into a few sobs before she continued. "So, this guy comes up. And oh…. I should have known it was going to be bad. I should have known to say no… I should have-" She cried and shook, still not meeting his eyes. She yanked the hem of her dress down and shook at the memory. "He- he got the guys to get away from us. He saved us from a potentially bad situation. But- but _I should have known it wasn't going to get better_. Should have seen the red flags. I should- Oh… I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Adrien." She finally looked over at him through her dark bangs, only to find an entirely different man sitting beside her. A broken man filled with anger he was barely keeping in check. His cheeks were red and inflamed, while his knuckles were white and in tightly clenched fists at the sides of his thighs. His jaw was set tightly with his teeth clenched together and his shoulders were tense.

Adrien finally uncurled his fists and brought them into the sides of his chest as he folded his arms across his chest and cleared his throat. "Keep going." He tried so hard not to show his anger, but now it was coming through even if he didn't want it to. He was stuck in between being really revolted and being really fucking pissed. He wanted to punch the three men in the face and he wished that he would have tried harder to keep her in Paris with him six months ago.

"I- I danced with him. He offered. Um…" Marinette worried the dress in her hands and tried to control her emotions and the tears, but she couldn't stop them from falling, from gasping through the memory. Her panic reached up and choked her, making her heart feel like it was being put into a vice. A vice controlled by a demon named Luka that still held her soul hostage. The ring burned on her finger and she suddenly felt the need to hide it from Adrien. Felt shame fall over her at how she could have agreed to marry a complete stranger. She stopped talking, getting lost in her negative thoughts again. Thoughts that wouldn't let her go from their poisonous fangs.

Adrien sighed, leaned back into his couch more, and tried to calm himself for her. "It's okay. I-" He ran his hand through his blonde hair and tugged lightly on it. "I'm listening. Just- I don't know how to respond, or help you, and I don't want to say something to upset you. This isn't easy for me, either." He gave into his emotions, trying to regain a moment of clarity, and she snapped out of her thoughts to really focus on him. He looked exhausted and the dark circles beneath his eyes didn't quell her despair or anxiety. His words didn't help her either and it made her worry that if she kept talking about what had happened then he surely would hate her. "Marinette?" Adrien looked at her and searched her glistening blue eyes and wet dark lashes. "I want to know. Please. Just- just tell me. Please?" He looked at her through his messy bangs with saddened, dull green eyes.

Marinette swallowed hard and looked down at her hands on her lap. "I drank with him and before I knew it I was getting into his fancy black car…" Her voice had become quieter and it became more apparent that she was close to giving up completely. Like she was accepting the fact that she would lose him. That she had lost him already and it was all her fault. She wanted to accept her fate, accept that he was going to kick her out of his lavish apartment. That she would never see her kitty again. Her heart felt like it was being torn in half and left to be stomped on in the rain. "I- mmm…" She pressed her index finger to her lips and he tried to reach out to her again, but he pulled his hand back, knowing that she didn't want to be held or touched.

Adrien set his hand back down beside him and hid his hands in his pockets, not wanting to scare her off from telling her story if, she saw him dig his nails into his palms again. He pursed his lips and tried to keep his anger at bay. He didn't like hearing about her getting into a car with some strange man that she found at some random bar in Milan. Didn't like someone else touching what was his. Jealousy reared its ugly head and he bit down on his tongue to keep from saying anything negative to his broken Lady.

"He- he served me a drink and I tried to text Alya that I ha- had made a terrible mistake. That I shouldn't have gone. That I should have stayed in that club with her. And- and I- I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry…" Marinette wanted the couch to open up and swallow her whole. Just make her disappear so that she didn't have to see him react or say anything to what she was about to tell him next. "I was taken to a cha- cha- chap- mm…" She couldn't get the word out of her mouth and she looked over to see his eyes widen. His eyes shot down to the serpent ring on her left hand and he felt his stomach turn and found it hard to hold back a slew of curses. She flinched as his fist came down onto the couch and his nails drug lines through the leather material. Blood bubbled up from beneath the edge of his nails and he seemed to not notice the pain that followed. "Chapel. He said that I had agreed to mar- marry him, but I don't remember him asking me that. I- I don't remember much of anything in the car after the drink actually…" She burst into tears and felt the couch cushion shift as he flung himself up from the couch and walked into the kitchen, needing to separate himself from her. He had to get his bearings and his thoughts straight. His emotions were clouding his logic and he hated it.

Marinette leapt up from the couch and ran after him with pleading eyes. She knew she didn't deserve it. Didn't deserve for him to listen to her anymore or for him to want to anymore. Didn't blame him for leaving her alone. She could never blame Adrien for his part in this hell she found herself in, it was all her fault. She found Adrien pouring a drink into a glass, using it to hide his emotions and to numb the pain from her words. She knew that this too was her fault. That everything was her fault.

Adrien slammed the glass down on the counter, causing Marinette to flinch and skitter away from him. "YOU REALIZE HOW INCREDIBLY DUMB AND IRRESPONSIBLE THAT WAS OF YOU TO DO? HOW YOU PUT YOURSELF INTO DANGER?" He wanted to make her see how it wasn't her fault and that the only part that was ever in her control was getting into that car in the first place. "You shouldn't have gotten into that car, Mari. That was your _ONLY_ mistake."

Marinette sobbed harder and fell to her knees, grabbing at his jeans. "I'm sorry. I'm so SORRY!" She begged and cried harder feeling her chest tighten with each apology. Adrien didn't even let it phase him. He was trying to teach her a lesson, even if it hurt her. He couldn't let her be hurt like this ever again. She shook the fabric of his jeans in her fists and peered up at him with pleading swollen eyes. "PLEASE! PLEASE FORGIVE ME! I'll do anything. ANYTHING! Just tell me what to do to fix it! PLEASE, ADRIEN? Kitty?"

Adrien clenched his teeth and crossed his arms over his chest, looking away from her at the warm brown wall. "I'm sure more happened. So, why don't you finish the story?" He knew where it was going and he didn't want to hear it, but he knew he had to. He knew he had to know what had caused the black dress that he had made for her to be in the state that it was in. He wanted to punch this guy in the face. Maybe beat him till he bled and didn't get back up again. Adrien wanted to crack his knuckles on this man's skull until he cried out for mercy.

Marinette let the soft, soiled fabric fall from her fingertips, as her palms fell to her thighs and she bowed her head in shame. "I came to in his bed and when he saw I was awake he- he-" The words caught in her throat and she looked up to see a furious man trying desperately to hold it together. She scooted along the floor away from him and hit her back against the cabinets as Adrien peered down at her with an unreadable expression that sent the words flying from her mouth like gunfire. "Took advantage of me. I thou- thought that if I went along with it. If I got him off then it would end faster and be over sooner. That if I appeased him, he'd- he'd be happy… He'd stop what he was doing. I'd be safe and- and okay. I'd be-" She didn't have time to finish before Adrien dropped the liquor bottle, letting it shatter on the tile, drenching her in the liquid that spilled before stomping off through another doorway to try and escape her. "I'M SORRY! OKAY? IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR? THAT I'M A WHORE! THAT I SHOULD NEVER HAVE GONE TO MILAN? THAT YOU WERE RIGHT ALL THIS TIME? THAT I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO YOU AND NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED?"

Adrien stopped short in his tracks, whirling around before storming back towards her and shaking his index finger in her face while he glared at her. "NO, NO! YOU KNOW WHAT I WISH YOU WOULD DO? I WISH… YOU WOULD SEE WHAT REALLY HAPPENED! I WISH YOU KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING TO YOU! I WISH YOU SAW THROUGH HIS SLIMY EXISTENCE TO KNOW THAT HE IS TO BLAME, MARI! THAT HE DID THIS TO YOU! THAT HE-" Adrien picked up her left hand, no longer caring if she didn't want him to touch her. He was going to and he didn't give a shit about what reaction she would give him. "-PUT THIS FUCKING RING ON YOUR DAMN FINGER TO CONTROL YOU. TO OWN YOU! BUT NO! YOU'RE GONNA SIT THERE AND BLAME YOURSELF FOR EVERYTHING! You're not sorry Mari. You're fucking broken and you can't see it because you're so _LOST_ in your _OWN_ GODDAMN FUCKING TWISTED THOUGHTS!" He flung her hand back down and sat on the edge of his bed with his hair between his clenched fists, as his chest rose and fell with his murderous anger.

Marinette suddenly snapped out of her revolving thoughts and she stood in silence for a moment, putting all her effort into thinking about what he said. The memory of Luka's tattoo burned in her memory and she rapidly became furious. Not with Adrien, but with the man that had broke her, had _controlled_ her, had ruined this precious dress that reminded her of home, and had left her with a life filled with terror. "He- he had a tattoo." She quietly spoke and sank down beside him on the bed.

He peered at her beneath his clenched fists with glowing tear filled eyes, trying to understand what she was trying to tell him. "What about it?" His voice broke and he cleared his throat again to try and regain his composure. She could hear the pain in his voice and how hoarse it sounded. Could feel the anger and sadness radiate from his chest and how his shoulders shook with pent up energy.

"It was like ours, but it was an ouroboros. You know the-" Marinette began to explain it as if he didn't know what it was, but he interrupted her in a soft tone as he dropped his hands to the quilted silver hued comforter. He brought his palms behind him and leaned back, crossing one ankle over the other.

"I know what that is, Mari. You don't have to tell me." Adrien looked down at his lap and let his hair fall into his eyes. He knew this had to be some sort of control power move for this man that he had heard enough about. "What's his name?"

"What?" Marinette squeaked at his sudden question and she looked at him with a horrified expression. She felt her heart speed up and her emotions flair at the thought of Luka and his blue tipped hair. His serpent tattoo and the way he had spoke to her. _Bella…_ His voice haunted her mind and she clenched her eyes tight. She just couldn't bring herself to speak the name of the devil in the presence of this angel before her. An angel that was quickly falling towards Earth.

Adrien realized she was moving backwards again. That he was losing her to the tide of her negative emotions. That she was slipping into Hell again. "Shit. Mari? MARI!" Making a snap decision, he quickly scooped her shuddering form up and whisked her to his lavish bathroom. She fought against him and pressed her palms against his chest and screamed out in a blind panic.

"YOU'RE GETTING DIRTY! YOU'RE GETTING COVERED IN HIM. I'M SOILING YOU. I'M RUINING YOU. I'M NO GOOD. I'M A TERRIBLE PERSON. I DON'T DESERVE THIS. I DON'T DESERVE ANYTHING. JUST LEAVE ME. LET ME DIE. LET ME DIE. LET ME- I DON'T WANT TO SPREAD HIS FILTH TO YOU. LEAVE ME. HIT ME. HURT ME. JUST- DON'T HELP ME. I DON'T DESERVE YOUR HELP. YOUR CLEAN NURTURING HANDS." Marinette screamed out as he grabbed her hands to stop her fists from hitting him. He used his foot to kick the shower on and held her there while it warmed up. Her words cut him like a knife because he knew that he wasn't as pure as she was saying, but he didn't want to make it worse. Didn't want to fuel the fire. He needed her to be calm and he needed to know what this asshole's name was.

She tried to push away from him. To get away from him, but he just yanked her to his chest. He held her still as she punched his chest and fought against him. "I don't deserve you. I don't- I'm so DUMB! I have bad luck! You don't need someone like me! You can find someone so much better!" Tears fell from her eyes as she let the words fall from her broken heart. Words she believed with all her heart and soul.

"Mari. Mari. MARI!" Adrien held her by her fists and made eye contact with her. Her eyes were wide in a panic and her chest rapidly rose and fell. She wanted to run. To get away from him. He was touching her. Touching her sin and the skin that had been tainted by a sharply dressed maniacal man in all black with fancy italian shoes. Adrien searched her eyes with his own and tried to pour a calming energy over her. He wanted to connect them together, desperate to share his soul with this woman that had carried his heart all this time. He watched her slowly calm down enough that he could wrap his arms around her without a fight. "Now, can I please get you out of this dress and into something clean? Please, bugaboo." He brushed his lips against her hair and rocked them back and forth, trying to calm the storm that raged within her. "If you want to do it alone, I'll understand. I understand if you don't want me touching you. If you don't want me in the room with you. If you-"

"No. I- I do. Thank you, Adrien." Marinette whispered and looked down at her dirtied, cut up feet. "Pl-please don't leave." She peered up at him with tear filled eyes and her split lip quivered. He nodded and smiled down at her before he watched her turn away from him and move her hair out of the way for him to unzip the dress, taking in the bruises along her spine and shoulder blades. Bruises that another man made on her delicate skin. Ruining it's perfection. Ruining his Lady and stealing her innocence. He shook his head and focused back on unzipping the dress that was his and only his, but had become a symbol of their pain. He wanted to destroy it, wanted to turn it into a pile of ashes with her supporting his doing so, but first there were more important matters to handle. He would get through this, and then he would use the destruction as a symbol of his resolve to break this man's hold on Marinette.

"Mari, please bugaboo, before we go any further, I need to know his name. I need to know the name of the man I'll be hunting down." Adrien held his hand against the zipper, waiting for her response before proceeding any further. Having this last piece of knowledge would allow them both to start the process of moving on from this, at least in his eyes.

"...Luka." Marinette's whisper reverberated off of every surface of Adrien's thoughts.


	12. Cleansed

Hey guys! I'm going on vacation at the end of the week so you probably won't have another new chapter until the end of next week!

"...Luka." The name coming out of her mouth felt bitter, poisonous. She never wanted to speak his name again, but in the end that wouldn't solve anything. Was Luka _their_ problem? Marinette _thought_ Adrien would help her, but she didn't want to involve him if he didn't want to be. She turned around and put her caked and filthy hands on either side of Adrien's face. He flinched at having the ring pressing against his skin, but other than that his eyes only looked at her with a mixture of sadness and fury. She hated to be the cause of either of those emotions in him, but she was glad that she didn't have to carry this burden alone any longer. Alya and Nino were going to help her, had _already_ helped her, but it was different with Adrien. Having Adrien help her, even if it was just with his presence alone, gave her a hope she didn't have when she arrived in Paris.

"Hey…. I need to know. I know things are di- different between us now, but will you help me? Will you help me bring him down?" Marinette's voice was soft but firm. She knew they were still dancing around the status of what they were, but at least she would know if she could rely on him for help against Luka. She gazed into his piercing green eyes, offering a soft smile as she watched his eyes widen.

"How could you even think to ask me something like that? Do you still doubt my love for you, My Lady?" Adrien's heart broke at the thought that she was so timid now, so reserved in thinking he could ever harbor anything but love for her. He stepped closer to her, a question in his eyes as to whether this was okay for him to do. At her small nod, he closed the rest of the distance between them. "Let me show you. Please. Let me show you the decision I've come to." He lowered his face to hers, stopping right before their lips touched for a brief moment to give her time to back away one last time. When she remained, his reservations went out the window. He crashed his lips down to hers, kissing her with a desperation he hadn't felt in six months. He could still sense the hesitation in her, left over from so many hours of beating herself up over where her life is, but she was responding to his touch. A shiver raced along his skin as he felt her hands brush up his arms before traveling to the front of his shirt. She gripped it with shaking hands, having a hard time concentrating while Adrien kissed a trail down her neck. She didn't want to stop him, but she didn't want to spread her filth to him. He didn't realize it, but he was kissing down the same area of skin that Luka had the night before. Her stomach turned again at that thought, and her hands stopped shaking. Pushing him away, she kept contact with him, keeping his shirt in her hands as she tried to catch her breath so she could _think_. She saw the hurt of rejection in his eyes, but she just shook her head.

"Adrien. I want this. I want you. But… I can't. I- I can't do this while I can still feel his hands on me, while I still feel him. Please understand. Just- just let me clean myself of him before you…" Marinette grew frustrated when she couldn't think of the right words to say. She wasn't rejecting him, she just wanted to be as pure and whole as he was. Turning around, she moved her hair once more, waiting for Adrien to unzip the tattered remains of her dress. After a moment's hesitation, she felt his hand trail up her spine before gripping the zipper and pulling down. This was it. The moment where she bared the entirety of what she'd done to him. Soon there would be no going back to the way they were before she left.

Adrien understood why she needed this, but his body was crying out for their union. He wanted so badly to erase Luka from her skin, from her life if she allowed him. When he raised his hand up to unzip her dress, he couldn't stand not touching her so he softly trailed his hand up the teeth of the zipper feeling her shudder underneath his touch. He could tell her body wanted him, it was just her broken mind that wouldn't let go. That man's control that wouldn't let go. Adrien took a deep breath as he started to unzip her. He knew that he would be furious at what he'd find, but he resolved to himself that he wouldn't let Mari see his anger. He wasn't angry at her, only at each and every mark _Luka_ had left. He caught his breath as more of her skin was revealed. Skin that was black and blue. Skin that was blemished with the hatred of another man. As rough as he had been with Mari in that bathroom before she left for Milan, he would've never considered _hurting her_. Their passion had always been intense, sometimes hard to control, but he had chalked that up to being soulmates a long time ago. To have this man try to replicate that in the most disgusting way possible just… Well, he'd pay. Pushing those thoughts from his mind for now, he finished pulling the zipper down. Reaching both hands back up, he slowly pushed the material off of her. Not looking at her skin, he bent down, nudging the back of her legs so that she would step out of the circle of cloth. Picking up the remnants, he walked over to the sink, letting the material puddle into the circle of it. They would deal with it afterward. If he was being honest, he was stalling. He didn't want to see the damage.

Marinette knew what he was doing. Stalling. Not that she blamed him, but she did actually want to get clean. She liked being clean, and going so long without a shower was starting to bug her. Walking slowly over to him, she could see him staring down at the dress in the sink, lost in thought. Taking his hand, she raised her other up to his face, gently turning his head to face her. His eyes were squeezed shut, refusing to open and survey the damage.

"Chaton…. Look at me." Marinette spoke gently to Adrien, knowing this must be as hard for him as it was for her.

Adrien's eyes slowly opened, but he kept his gaze trained on her face. He could see a twinkle in her eyes that he had longed to see for quite some time now and it gave him the courage needed to push away from the sink. He gently pulled her back over to the shower, stopping her before she stepped in to release the ties in her hair. He combed his fingers through it, emotions threatening to overwhelm him at this simple action he thought he'd never be able to do again. While he was lingering with his hands in her hair, she once again gripped his shirt. Only this time, her hands were steady as she began to pull it up. Once she couldn't go any further without him removing his hands, she nudged the underside of his arm. Taking the hint, he raised his arms over his head, allowing her to completely remove his shirt. Dropping the white deep v shirt in a puddle of fabric on the floor, she gently turned him around so that he wouldn't have to keep his eyes closed while he was being undressed. She traced the outline of his now fully reformed tattoo on his back. He shuddered as she did, closing his eyes again briefly as she continued to trace it. It was different than the time before; a chain leash now encircled his black cat, although the chains were starting to look rusty and brittle. His eyes shot open as he felt her lips gently caress it, looking over his shoulder to see the awe inspired look on her face. She averted her eyes from his intense gaze, turning around so that he could look at hers. His gaze trailed down her shoulder blades until he caught sight of it. Her tattoo was vibrant red, the ladybug looked nearly _alive._ The wings had more detailing and were slightly glowing, making them look nearly iridescent. When he looked closer, he noticed that while the wings were beautiful, they looked disjointed, like they were broken. He touched it, hardly daring to think this could mean what he thought it did. They were back. There were differences in their tattoos this time around, but the message was the same: their connection was back.

Unable to hold his excitement at that thought back, he whooped and picked her up. He spun her around in a circle before setting her feet back on ground and hooking his chin over her shoulder. "We're back, Princess. It's really us again." He couldn't contain the smile on his face.

"Silly kitty. Shower first, celebrate later. You're still dressed and this water is gonna turn cold at some point." Without turning around to look at him, she stepped forward until she was under the spray of hot water. Just the feeling of the water sliding down her body lifted her spirits tremendously. She was finally washing off her mistakes. _Finally_. Reaching her hands up, she slid them into her hair, feeling the knots from the rough treatment it had endured. She felt hands join hers as Adrien's body pressed up against her. Something pressed into her spine, causing her to flush and smile. After all this time, some things never change. She hadn't heard Adrien finish undressing but his presence behind her was reassuring. He had seen all of her and was still there.

"Sorry I don't have any of your shampoo or conditioner, Bugaboo. I hope you'll be okay with using mine and smelling like me until we can get you some?" She could nearly hear the smirk in his voice as he spoke.

"I'm sure I'll manage just fine. Can you pass it to me? I think my hands are stuck now." Mari laughed as she playfully acted like she couldn't remove her hands from her dirty hair. Adrien laughed as he reached around her to grab the shampoo, his lips brushing her shoulder as he did. He loved the little tremors her body gave at his touch, assuring him after all this time that his touch was still wanted. He passed it to her and watched as she lathered it up. He had missed this domesticity. Just these little moments together, doing the simple things in life, made his heart swell. She passed it back to him so that he could take care of himself as well. So far, he had managed to avoid looking at her body too closely to keep his good mood. He knew this would be shot when she went to wash her body off because he wouldn't be able to tear his eyes away from the suds covering her skin.. He shook his head, spraying conditioner on her, causing her to yelp and slap his arm for making her have to rinse off again.

She reached for his loofah and body wash, her playful attitude dissipating. Now came the hard part, getting clean enough to erase _his_ touch. Losing her nerve, she passed them back to Adrien, standing a little away now to try and collect herself. He looked at her in concern before she shook her head and gestured for him to go ahead. She watched mechanically as he washed his perfectly toned body, still lean after all these years but no longer skinny. A layer of hard muscle lay just under his perfect skin. Perfect abs bent and stretched as he scrubbed and rinsed himself clean. Perfect, too perfect. She didn't deserve that. Taking the offered items once more, she poured a healthy amount of body wash and lathered the loofah up. He could see this was going to be hard for her, so he tried to give her some space while still remaining there to show his support. He would've just done it for her, but he knew she wouldn't let him. She started to wash off her arm, turning it to scrub at her wrist where Luka's teeth had grazed her. A chill raced along her skin, causing goosebumps to rise. Would she even be able to get clean of him? Was it pointless to try and rid herself of his slimy touch? She had to try, if only for Adrien. Suddenly, she leaned forward and turned the water even hotter. She started to harshly scrub at her skin, quickly turning it red with the intensity at which she was scrubbing. A sob escaped her as she continued to scald and scrub her skin, clawing at her neck like her skin was crawling. Adrien couldn't watch her torture herself anymore. He stepped forward and adjusted the water temperature back down to normal again, having to wrestle the loofah from her hands as she continued to sob brokenly and scrub random parts of her skin. She seemed to be focusing on her neck and face, so he avoided those as he gently started to swipe across her chest. He noted the bruises around one of her nipples, like it had been pinched too roughly. He grit his teeth and gently brushed over it, causing her to whimper. He wanted to apologize, but instead continued to focus on his task. Thankfully her stomach seemed fine, but he knew the injuries in this area would be internal. He crouched down, placing gentle kisses across it to rid her of the bad memories residing there inside and out. He continued to her hips, seeing the hand shaped bruises on each one. _These must be so painful,_ he thought to himself. He lightly brushed over the bruises, knowing she still wanted them cleaned. He once again placed gentle kisses over the bruises. Her legs and feet were covered with dirt and grime, so he had to scrub at them but eventually those too bore his kiss of approval. Marinette was still by this point, barely moving or reacting unless he moved her or brushed against a part that hurt. Standing back up, he cleaned her arms. He stopped to inspect what looked like matching bite marks on her neck and one of her wrists, nauseated at the sight. He worried about them getting infected and made a note in his mind to apply medicine and wrap her wrist once they were done in the shower. This only left one part of her to clean. He wasn't sure how to proceed, if she wanted to take over because of the intimacy involved in the action. He glanced at her, seeing her shut down expression.

"Mari…. Do you want to…." Adrien spoke softly, not wanting to startle her out of her trance but ease her out of it. He needed to know how to proceed. Once she focused on him, he repeated himself and gestured to the juncture between her legs.

"I- I don't think I can… Can you? Please…" Mari couldn't meet his eyes in her shame. She couldn't even follow through on washing Luka off. And asking Adrien to clean where she let another man touch was so unfair to him. But she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

Adrien steeled his nerves and gently took her hand. She still refused to look at him, but that didn't matter. She just needed to know how he felt. "Marinette. I would go to hell and back for you. I'm honored that you're allowing me this, so please don't see it as a defeat. My life's goal is to take care of you, be with you, love you. _NOTHING_ will ever change that." Seeing her small nod, he proceeded.

Once they were both dried off and he had managed to at least make Marinette smile, he walked to his bedroom holding her hand. Opening his closet door, he walked in and selected a shirt for Marinette to wear until he could get her proper clothes. His decision was apparently the right one because a beautiful smile broke out on her face and a laugh escaped her lips. He handed her the white button down dress shirt he used to wear in lycee over his black striped tee.

"Adrien, I don't think this is going to be big enough." Marinette shrugged the shirt on and modeled it for him, the length just barely scraping the tops of her thighs. She crookedly buttoned a few buttons anyways, reveling in the soft feel of the fresh fabric and his smell. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her dressed in his shirt and his cock twitched under his towel. Turning to hide it and his blush, he found a pair of black _Gabriel_ boxers and threw them at her with a laugh. He was happy her earlier mood seemed to have receded, he wanted to get back to just being Mari and Adrien. Choosing a pair of loose comfortable pants for himself and a worn t-shirt, he dressed and turned to her. He didn't miss the look in her eye as she took him in and it made his heartbeat speed up. Taking her hand, he guided her back to the bathroom and picked up the dress from the sink. He could feel her shrink back from it, but he just kept her close and continued walking to the living room. He stopped in front of the fire and turned to her.

"Mari, I'd like your permission to try something. I'm not sure if it'll work, but I want to give it a shot. But first, I wanted to see if you were serious about burning this. I think it could be a symbol of our resolve to put this behind us and move forward. Together. What do you think?"

"Adrien… I… This isn't going to be easy for me to just walk away from. But.. I'm willing to try. To do this with you. I- I know I've caused you so much pain- " she was silenced with a finger against her lips.

"Stop it. Stop beating yourself up over us. I've forgiven you. So let's move on, yeah?" Adrien tried to reassure her. He could see she still wanted to argue with him, but she took a deep breath and nodded.

He turned back to the fire, gripping the dress in his fist. So many memories tied to this one article of clothing, but now it was time to make room for new memories. He threw it into the fire and they stood in silence as it burned brightly.

He turned to Marinette, taking both of her hands in his, brushing his thumbs across her knuckles. His right hand grazed the ring and he made his decision. Getting down on his knees, he looked up at Marinette in silence for a moment before his deep voice reverberated throughout the room.

"Marinette. I know you've been through hell since you've left. And I know that you recognize I have as well. You admitted your mistakes, and you've placed your trust in me once again. I won't let you down. I will always be by your side, from this moment on. If you'll allow me to, I'll never leave you. I want to replace this ring with one of my own, and I want you to be mine. Fully. Forever. I love you from the bottom of my heart, Bugaboo, and I have since we were fifteen. Nothing you can do or say will ever change that. You are my heart and my soul. So please, let me make things right by removing this filthy object of control. And promise me from now on that we'll face these challenges how we should've from the start: Together."

The sincerity in Adrien's voice rang out and struck a chord deep in Marinette's soul. This man, after everything, still wanted her. Still loved her. Flashes of memories rushed through her mind: her at sixteen drawing out her wedding dress as she daydreamed of the day Adrien would propose, her at eighteen imagining what a little Adrien would look like running around a home they made together, her in Milan when she would go out to lunch with coworkers and they would talk about their spouses and families. She had been given a second chance, an opportunity to correct the mistakes she had made in her ignorance. She wouldn't fail this time.

She fell to her knees in front of him, unable to hold herself up against so much love. Tears of joy flowed down her face, so different than the tears of yesterday. She wanted to kiss him so badly but she knew he needed confirmation first. Pulling his left hand closer to her body, she placed it over her heart as she gazed at him solemnly. "Adrien, I promise that from now on it will be you and me until the end. My partner, my friend, my soulmate; you've always had my heart. It just took me a little longer than you to figure it out. No matter where I am, you are my home. I love you, silly kitty, and I'll never stop. Promise. I accept."

His answering smile was blinding. Choking out a laugh between his own tears, he pulled her in for a hug. One word fell from his lips repeatedly, the word he had refused to say for the past six months. Just her name. _Marinette._

Breaking away from her, he took a deep breath and looked down at the ring she couldn't get off. Suddenly, it was crystal clear. It had always been him that had to remove it. His love for her would break any spell of control placed over her. Cliche but still, it is what it is. He had read enough to know the power of love in the realm of magic, his research always returning to the same fact: true love trumps all. And his love for Marinette was all encompassing. He was sure there had never been a person in history that had loved someone as much as he loved Marinette. With these convictions repeating over and over in his head, he gripped the ring on her finger and started applying pressure. He could feel the ring trying to overpower his attempt, but it would not win. He continued to steadily pull, feeling the ring blaze up red hot in his fingers before turning ice cold and brittle. Just as it started to slide off of her finger, a tremor went through it and it cracked clean through. Falling off of her finger in two pieces, it hit the floor with a soft thud. He could hear Marinette's gasps, but his focus was still on the ring. He picked it up and hurled it into the fire. The fire turned blue and eerily hissed like a snake before returning to normal. It was finally over. His control was broken.

" _Merci_ , _mon minou_." Marinette felt so much lighter, like invisible chains had been lifted off of her. She turned back towards him from watching the fire only to find his gaze already trained on her. Heat began to pool under her skin that had nothing at all to do with their proximity to the fire.

Adrien softly touched her cheek with his palm and peered into her bluebell eyes. He had never been so in love with anything or anyone, as much as, he was with this woman right in front of him at this very moment. Her doe eyes scanned from his emerald eyes, that reflecting the flickering flame from the fireplace, to his soft lips. She licked her lips and he smirked down at her; while he peered through his lashes and leaned down towards her. Her heart raced and she lightly gripped his shirt in her fists, anticipating his soft lips touching hers. It felt like time was slowing down and she didn't want it any other way. She slowly closed her eyes as he closed his. His soft lips brushed against hers and she felt a spark between them. She sighed and parted her lips and he mirrored her motions. He touched her chin, with his thumb and index finger, and ran his tongue along her parted bottom lip. She ran her warm tongue along his and pulled him closer by his shirt. He melted into her kiss and parted his lips against hers hungrily, slipping his hand from her cheek, down her side, and yanking her closer to him by the small of her back. As their hands touched their tattoos, a flare of light caused Marinette to yank his shirt up at the same time he pulled hers up. Looking over his shoulder as he was hers, they both came to the same realization: _their tattoos were glowing._ Not only glowing, they were _moving._ Marinette watched as the chains surrounding the black cat turned charred and drifted away like ash, like something had totally destroyed them. Adrien, meanwhile, watched as the ladybug's disjointed wings knit back together and became whole before starting to buzz. Bright red and neon green neon lights shot out, from their backs, and swirled around them. They pulled away from one another slightly and looked around themselves in confusion.

"What happened?" Marinette clutched to his shirt and he held her protectively. He didn't know what had happened, but he wasn't going to let whatever it was hurt his Lady. Not after he had worked so hard to get her back. Not after they had burnt the last of their pain. He pushed her behind him and stood in front of whatever it was that had appeared in front of them. He squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look at what had surrounded them. He was confused and concerned for Marinette.

"Took you long enough, Kid. Got anything to eat around here? I'm starving…" The black ball of fur stretched his arms above himself and then rested them behind his head, while he floated in front of the them. Adrien reached out to poke the black cat creature in the nose, but it flew back, making a bigger space between them.

"What are you? Where did you come from?" Adrien searched the creatures green eyes with his own curious ones. The creature seemed annoyed with him, but Adrien had no idea why. Something red flashed in front of them and interrupted the other ball of fluff from talking anymore.

"Plagg, be nice. We probably scared them to death. They are new to this. I swear if I did not love you so much… I would..." The red and black spotted bug creature flew closer to Plagg with an irritated yet loving expression.

Plagg smirked at the little red bug with half closed green cat eyes. "You'd what, _ma cherie_?" Tikki used to hate when he'd flirt with her. Back when they had been created together. He had always been too much: too sarcastic, too gluttonous, too flirty. Everything about Plagg screamed _excessive_. But that was who he was and she couldn't change that. Not that she wanted to. She had found something so alluring yet frustrating about him.

Tikki suddenly became aware of the woman hiding behind the golden boy. She flew up to Marinette with a warm smile. She did a little spin and giggled, holding out her hand. "Hello, I am Tikki and I am the Kwami of Creation." Marinette peered at her with parted lips and shimmering sapphire eyes, before she let out a giggle as the kwami snuggled her cheek and contently landed in her outstretched palms.

"So… You're Plagg then?" Adrien poked one of Plagg's cat ears and watched it twitch. "What do you do exactly?" Adrien was curious about what a kwami was or what their purpose was. Tikki didn't hesitate to tell them. This conversation had been repeated so many times over the centuries, she was used to it. It usually fell to her to give their new holders the rundown of the rules, Plagg was always more worried about his first meal than explanations. It was a very important part of the whole process and was key to their survival.

"He is the deity of Chaos and Destruction, and he _loves_ to complain. You will get used to him after a while." Tikki smirked over at Plagg with her little arms crossed and Plagg rolled his eyes at her. He had spent years with his Lovebug and she never ceased to drive him utterly insane with her know-it-all demeanor and strict rule following. Although, he'd be lying if he denied he loved her, even if she _did_ drive him crazy. She had his heart in her little hands and he loved every moment of it. " _WE_ are kwamis. We grant you special abilities to survive and we protect you. All of you. All you have to say is 'Claws Out' and "Spots On'. Once you use your-" Tikki was interrupted by Adrien punching the air and calling out, 'Plagg! Claws Out!'. "WAIT!" She tried to get him to stop, but he didn't listen in his enthusiasm.

Adrien was soon covered in a blinding chartreuse light, leaving him in an all black leather suit with a belt tail, black cat ears, two zipper pockets along his sides, a golden bell zipper pull at his neck, and silver rivets on certain places. His gloves had short claws and his boots had silver toes, that mimicked cat paws. A solid black mask ran over his emerald eyes and made them glow and appear cat-like. Marinette was at a loss for words as she took in his messy hair and different demeanor. It was like his whole personality had changed, as well. "So… cool!" He brought his hands up to his face and turned his hands back and forth to check out his claws; before, he scratched them through the air with a dark smirk. "I'm gonna go get us some food, Bug. Be back."

"WAIT!" Tikki tried to grab his attention to tell him the rest of the rules, but he leapt out of the window, before she could even get the words out of her tiny mouth. She groaned and turned to see a dazed Marinette. She didn't know a man could look so sexy in a cat outfit. He was dark and mysterious, carrying himself with enough confidence to impress a whole room of women. She found herself wanting to pull on his bell and see if it was attached to a hidden zipper that would reveal his muscular chest, and how far down it would go if it did. Or how the leather felt against her fingertips. She wondered what kind of material it was and what laid beneath it. Was he wearing clothes or not? She got lost in her reverie of thoughts as her cheeks flushed and her world spun.

Tikki flew closer to a shocked Marinette with a concerned expression. "Marinette. This is very important." Tikki noticed that the woman was lost in a daydream with her hands on her cheeks and a flirty grin on her face, while she giggled at something. " _MARINETTE!_ " Tikki exclaimed and threw her hands down at her hips with her eyes clenched tight in frustration. This girl had to listen to her and take this very seriously. It was very important that she hear her out.

The woman suddenly jumped in surprise and gave Tikki her full attention. Tikki shook her head and sighed. "Okay. Once you use your special power… you only have a few minutes to get us food. This will allow our power to recharge so that you may transform back into your superhero self. And-"

"Wait, wait, wait…" Marinette was lost and overwhelmed by everything. "What are you talking about? Superheroes? Food? Transforming?" Marinette didn't know how to take all of this in; this was new territory to her. Besides the random anime Adrien would force her to watch when they were growing up, she didn't know much about superheroes and the like. That was more Alya's area of expertise. While Adrien was out running around with Plagg, she tried to wrap her head around the whole concept in the lingering silence. Her life had taken so many twists and turns lately, she was still trying to come to terms with that as well. This kwami thing just made it all that more difficult to handle and wrap her emotions around. She was excited yet scared and she couldn't understand why she had been chosen or what this entailed for her future. "Why me? Why us? I don't feel like I deserve this. I- I've done so much that I shouldn't be proud of. Why-"

Tikki flew up and touched her cheek with a warm smile. "Because you are creative, talented, and charming. Your heart is filled with love and compassion. You have an inner strength that I have not seen in centuries. And soon a great evil will rise up in this city that you and Chat Noir will be needed to vanquish. I cannot tell you much more than that for now, but know that you are very important, Marinette, and that it must be you and no one else. Chat cannot do it without you. You two are like puzzle pieces that fit together and balance the world on your fingertips." Marinette stared at her with pursed lips in wonder. She still wasn't sure if she was really the one that should be in the suit, but she could at least try for this cute little bug. "One more thing." Tikki poked her hand out at Marinette. "You mustn't tell anyone about your secret identities. It is detrimental to your safety and the safety of your friends and family. It can mean life or death for them and yourselves. You must protect your identities at _any_ cost. Promise me."

"Okay. I promise. I'll try for you and for Chat. I'm still unsure if I am the one that you want, but I can try my hardest." Marinette weakly smiled at the kwami and blushed. She was still lost in whether she would be able to handle such a big responsibility, but she was ready to give whatever evil was headed their way hell. She had been through the ringer and it was her time to fight. She felt the adrenaline rush through her veins and into her soul. She lifted her face to the ceiling and called out, "Tikki! Spot-!"

"Hang on." Tikki closed her eyes for a moment and focused on Marinette. She felt darkness within her and she knew that if she had any part of self doubt, that it would interfere with the magic and hinder their progress. Tikki had always cleansed her holders when they first became one. It was her way of making sure that they were strong enough to fight, but she also knew about what Luka had done to her and she desperately wanted to fix it. She had felt the darkness of his magic and the way he had slithered into Marinette's soul and it made her sick. Her wings had become mangled from the silver tongued serpent and it left a permanent mark on not only Marinette, but her as well. "I need you to lay down and relax. It'll only take me a mere moment."

Marinette gave the little bug a worried expression. "What are you going to do? Will it hurt? Is this necessary? I don't understand why- Did Adrien have to do this?" She began to worry that something was wrong with her. That she really didn't deserve to be Ladybug. Maybe she wasn't fit to be a hero of Paris, or rather, anywhere in general.

"With each new holder comes new challenges. And each holder comes with a past. I make sure to cleanse their past so that they can start anew and focus on the task at hand. I essentially give them a new path and open up their third eye. So, that they may create easier without anything clouding their creative vision." Tikki tried to explain it to Marinette, but she seemed more confused by her words. The kwami sighed and landed on Marinette's outstretched hands. Her antena dropped and she wrung her hands in front of her. "I know what Luka did to you, Marinette. I wish to erase that so that it won't get in the way anymore. So, that you may move on and do greater and better things. I want you to grow stronger from your experiences and learn from them. To move on. But with the injuries you have sustained and taken on…. I'm afraid it will be harder for you to proceed if I do not mend them. Your heart, while it is mostly fixed by Adrien… it is still broken. I want to further mend it. For the sake of not only your soul, but for the sake of our mission. You must move forward with a full heart." She poked Marinette in the nose and the woman giggled.

Marinette nodded and laid back on the couch. "Okay. I trust you. If you think it will help then I'll accept it." She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of a bright white light flash before her eyes and she scrunched up her face as she was sucked through time and memories appeared in front of her eyes like a movie. A movie of events she had hoped to never watch again.

Suddenly, the club in Milan appeared and spun around Marinette. Her chest felt like it was being slammed as two slender, yet strong, hands crashed down onto the shoulders of two men that stood in front of her with a blurred Alya beside her. Her breathing sped up as she watched the memory dissolve from her mind, as she was sucked into a bright light and thrown into the car with Luka. The drink pressed to her lips. She looked at Luka's sultry expression and took the glass from her lips. She smirked and threw it in Luka's face and the memory slammed her into the next. Where she found herself at the chapel with a makeshift bouquet of dying red roses in her hands. She threw the flowers to the ground, lit a match that appeared in between her fingers, and she set it on fire, sending the room into ashes and flinging her into another white light. She sprang out and into the bed with Luka beside her. This was the memory that she was dreading and she didn't know if she could go through this again. Tikki felt her hesitation, but she gathered all of her strength and slammed Marinette through it. Marinette grabbed Luka by the shoulders and slammed her knee into his groin, causing him to roll off of her and groan in pain. She looked back and found the key, getting out of his house and making her way through the street, as it turned into a white slate. She panted in a panic, watching behind her, expecting to see the sadistic man catching up to her while singing her name in an eerie fashion. Tikki knew that she needed something to calm her down and make her come back to reality and she could only think of one person that could succeed in doing that. Marinette ran into someone and felt their warm embracing arms around her. "Adrien." She sighed in relief and felt safe. She quickly sat up on the couch to find Tikki pleasantly smiling at her.

"You did a wonderful job, Marinette. You are very strong. I can feel it resonating within you. You have great power and control. You're ready to transform and see the world from a new perspective." Tikki nuzzled her cheek with her own. Marinette's head snapped up and she realized that her body felt different, that her head felt more clear, and she found herself inspired once again.

Marinette looked over her body and when she ran her hands down the front of her… she felt no pain. Not like she had earlier when Adrien had helped wash the serpent from her soft skin. She worried her bottom lip and took a deep breath. She put all of her energy into her heart and called out, "Tikki! Spots on!" A sparkling red light took Marinette over and left her in a full body red suit with black spots. Her hair was styled in a bun on top of her head with a red ribbon wrapped around it. The ends stuck out around the edge, giving the appearance of wings. She ran her hands over her body, taking in how tightly it contoured to her skin, much like Adrien's had left little to the imagination. Now that she felt whole and more like herself than she had in days (months if she was being honest), she could love Adrien with all of her being once again without feeling guilty about what happened. The memories were still there, but it was more like she was viewing them for research purposes, there was now no sting attached to them. Her thoughts were drawn to Adrien once again and a wicked grin spread across her lips. She bit her bottom lip as she thought about how it had contoured to his muscular thighs and hips. How she wanted to run her hands along him. Her index finger went to her lips and she tried to keep her thoughts straight. She touched along her hip to find a smooth round object. Marinette dropped her finger from her lips and took the item from her hip.

"What's this thing do?" She unhooked it from her hips and swung it out to the other side of the apartment. Marinette hadn't noticed Chat enter in through the window with grocery bags in his hands and before she knew it the string of her yo-yo had wrapped around him and they were sprawled on the floor, tangled up together. His bags left strewn across the floor around them. He looked down at her in shock and his cheeks turned red. Ladybug felt her own face flush as she felt him flex between her thighs, where she was already tingling from the sight of him and from her own thoughts. "S-Sorry, Ad- I mean! Chat. I- I didn't know you were there."

"It's okay, Bugaboo. Um…" He was at a loss for how they were going to get out of the situation they were in. He noticed how some of the pastries that were in one of the bags had tumbled out and had somehow gotten a streak of glaze on her cheek. He struggled to free one of his hands to gently run his thumb along the thin sweet liquid drop and he stuck it between his lips. She peered at him with parted lips and surprised sapphire eyes. He smirked at her and peered at her through his long eyelashes, knowing full well what he was doing to her. He touched her chin and lifted her gaze to his. "I'd say we're in a _MESSY_ situation." Marinette snapped out of her daze, groaned at the terrible pun, and the yo-yo came undone and went back into her hand. She shoved him off of her and he sat back on his heels with parted lips. He took in her skin tight suit and how it curved along her spine and around her perfectly rounded ass. How the red and black mask made her seem mysterious. It had only been six months, but she looked stunning in that suit and it was tailored specifically to her measurements.

His mouth ran dry and he shook his head, standing up to set the bags on the table. Ladybug replaced her yo-yo back onto her hip and sighed. "Tikki… spots off." The red light went back into her back and Marinette was left in its wake. She was definitely showing off that she had listened before she had transformed and he knew it. She caught Tikki in her outstretched hands as she reappeared. "I'm sure Adrien has a spot for you and Plagg to call your own somewhere in this huge apartment, why don't you go look around and find somewhere to call home?" Tikki squealed happily before zooming off.

Chat shook his head and watched her with amused eyes. "How did you do that?" He knew he should have listened, but he had been so excited to transform that he hadn't thought twice about it. Marinette brushed past him and caught his tail in between her fingertips. She slowly let it slide through her palm until she got to the metal tip at the end and she tugged, yanking him to her.

Marinette ran her hands up his muscular chest, focused her eyes on his bell, and flicked it with her fingertip to make it ring, and his cheeks flushed even more. He lowered his eyelids and searched her bluebell eyes with his own forest hued ones. "Silly Kitty. You should have been a good _Chat_ and listened." She grabbed his bell and yanked him down into a kiss.

He moaned against her lips with a charming yet dangerous smirk. "You're right. But I don't do good. I'd rather be your bad kitty for the night, M'Lady." He looked at her with a hungry expression and a crooked smile and her knees nearly buckled at his lowered voice that smoldered into her ears. He leaned in and ran his tongue along the shell of her ear and nibbled on it, causing her to softly mewl and grip his biceps with her nails as she felt her legs go out from underneath her. He caught her and leaned her back to slowly lick up her neck and she gasped, as he sucked on her pulse point.

"Kitty… We should eat…" Marinette gasped as he continued his ministrations on her neck, humming as he did so. Right on cue, her stomach growled loudly. She laughed as she pushed him off of her. "C'mon kitty, let's go make dinner."

He groaned as he sat back, pouting at her mocking expression. They had been so close so many times this evening, he just wanted to lay her down and get acquainted with every inch of her. But, logic won out and he ruefully stood up, pulling her up with him. Once steady, he released her hand and bent down for another kiss. As he did, he whispered, "Plagg, claws in." The green light enveloped him just as their lips touched in a gentle kiss. Plagg floated up beside them, making gagging noises. Tikki chose that moment to fly back into the room and circled Plagg as she squeaked, "Plagg, this place is _huge!_ There's plenty of space for us, I've already started making us a home nest. I'm sure Marinette and Adrien will let us know when it's time to eat." She bodily dragged Plagg away from where he was reaching towards the grocery bags, no doubt trying to get to his cheese.

"Since it's already so late, I thought we'd just make ratatouille soup and I got a loaf of bread. Plagg told me that Tikki prefers cookies so I got you the fixings to make her some. He demanded I buy him a ton of camembert so we don't need to make him anything." Adrien picked up the grocery bags and moved them to the counter in the kitchen.

"How did he tell you that if you didn't know how to detransform?" Marinette followed him in and started unloading the vegetables and other groceries.

"I dunno, he just…. did. He spoke into my brain?" Adrien scratched the back of his head at how crazy it sounded, but it was the truth.

"Okay, crazy kitty. Why don't you start cutting up the vegetables while I get the saucepan heating with the oil in it. I'll start on the cookies while I'm waiting too." Marinette felt at home in his kitchen, it had been so long since they had cooked and baked together but it still felt totally natural. Given his upbringing, Adrien didn't have much experience with cooking outside of helping out in the bakery or making meals with Marinette. He usually took the role of support and did whatever she asked him to do. Things were much more edible that way.

She turned on the stove and oven, started the saucepan going before quickly adding up the ingredients for the cookies into a mixing bowl. Adrien brought over the chunks of onion and she added it to the saucepan so that they could start tenderizing. Once she had everything prepared, she spread the cookie mixture out onto a cookie sheet and slid it into the oven. Next she took the baguette he had brought home and cut it in half. Putting half away for another meal, she wrapped the remaining and stuck it in the oven next to the cookies. Adrien walked over with a plate full of cut squash, eggplant, tomato and bell pepper. In a separate bowl he brought the roughly chopped garlic, which she took and dumped into the saucepan after making sure the onions were done. She sauteed the garlic before sliding in the rest of the vegetables. Covering the pan, she set the timer and turned to ask where the silverware was only to find Adrien's face right next to hers. His eyes were shining as he watched her in her element. She giggled and bit her bottom lip, suddenly self conscious about taking over his kitchen. She lowered her gaze to the floor, but was immediately forced to look into his eyes as his hands went to her face.

"I love watching you cook, Mari. Especially when it's in my kitchen. You look good in my kitchen." He kissed her again, unable to keep himself in check any longer. He loved everything about this woman, it was hard to keep his hands to himself. He deepened the kiss as he pulled her flush against him. She wound her arms around his neck and grabbed the small hairs at his nape before roughly pulling him closer. His hand slipped underneath her shirt, fingers grazing her flat stomach before he dared to go higher. Her moan as his thumb brushed the underneath of her breast was all the encouragement he needed to palm it. She arched against him as he rolled her nipple between his finger and thumb, panting as he blazed a trail of fiery kisses down her neck. "A- Adrien. Br- bread!" She gasped out as he continued to assault her senses. He pulled away with a smirk before spinning her away from the oven door. He opened it and removed the bread, setting it on top of the stove away from the active burner. He turned back to her with hungry eyes and stalked towards her intent on picking up where he had left off, but she danced away from his embrace giggling.

"Uh uh, _mon matou!_ We need to set the table before our food is done and I need to check on the cookies. Quit pouting, there will be time… Later." She waggled her eyebrows at him, finally earning herself a goofy smile from him.

They worked in a comfortable silence until the cookies were out and the timer went off. Sitting down at the table, they passed an enjoyable meal together. Not talking about anything in particular, just catching up and enjoying each other's company. After their bellies were filled and the kwami had eaten, they cleaned the kitchen and retired back out to the living room.

Adrien stoked the fire as Marinette watched him, quirking an eyebrow when he went to a closet off the hallway and retrieved an old blanket.

"Remember this, Bugaboo?" Adrien shook out the blanket, draping it around her shoulders and snuggling under it with her.

"How could I forget, I'm the one that made it." Marinette fingered the worn blanket from so long ago. It was one of her first sewing projects she did completely by herself. At the time, it was way too huge for her since she had mismeasured the fabric so she had started bringing it along their nightly walks as a blanket to sit on during the summer or to wrap themselves in during the winter nights. One side was black fleece, with neon green stitching around the border; the other side was red with black stitching. She was surprised that he had it, the last she knew it was still in her room at her parents apartment above the bakery.

"I asked your parents for it after you left. It was one of the only things that represented both of us." Adrien sheepishly admitted. Marinette smiled at his thoughtfulness, touched that he still wanting something of her around him. She looked at him through her lashes and bit her bottom lip. He gripped her face and pulled her in for a deep kiss that was filled with years worth of yearning for this woman in front of him. They fell to the floor in front of the fireplace and he rolled his hips against hers, as his old white shirt slipped up her thigh, exposing more of her soft legs. Her skin glowed in the light of the fire and caught his eye, as he slowly slid his hand up her thigh making her skin tingle beneath his touch. It was like small static charges igniting on the surface and she looked at him with sultry bedroom eyes. He was silently taking in her glow and how she looked in the warm light. How beautiful she was with the heat of the fireplace on her skin.

" _Prends-moi devant a la cheminee, mon Chaton._ " Marinette whispered and Adrien crashed his lips back down onto hers with a soft groan. She gasped as he slowly ran his hand up the front of his old shirt, popping the buttons open one at a time. Marinette arched her back and the overshirt fell open, exposing her breasts to the warm air. She laid back onto the floor and held her hand to his cheek, as he peered deeply into her eyes. He skimmed down between her breasts, thinking that he would have to see the bruises left by another man, but he didn't find a trace of Luka on her skin. Adrien's eyes teared up and he looked into Marinette's eyes with shock. "Tikki. She fixed _everything_." Marinette softly smiled at him and ran her hand through his hair to try and sooth his pain.

"How? I-" Adrien was, for once, at a lost for words. He wanted to know all of the details for how Tikki had saved his brave woman. Wanted to know how she had fixed it all and erased the darkness within her. He had so many questions and he felt the tears fall from his eyes as relief took him over. He looked down at her chest without really focusing on anything, lost in thought.

"Chaton. _Regarde-moi, s'il vous plait_." She gently touched his cheek and brought his eyes up to meet hers. She used her thumb to wipe away his tears and she pulled him down to gently kiss her. She slowly deepened the kiss and he was soon lost in her again. Lost in the passion that she gave him, he ran his hand up her thigh and along her side. Feeling her soft skin beneath his fingertips and getting caught up in her bluebell eyes.

Adrien buried his face into her neck and gently placed kisses along her skin mentally thanking Tikki for saving the love of his life. He felt like he owed her a lot more than a place to call home. Marinette touched his face and directed his kisses back to her lips. She ran her tongue along his bottom lip and he parted them for her, meeting her kiss with one that was just as hungry.

Marinette hooked her fingers into the waistband of his black loose pants and pushed them down his hips. He held himself up onto one of his elbows and helped her slide them down, kicking them off once they were mid-calf. He never let his mouth leave hers, as he began to tug at the ' _Gabriel'_ brand boxers that were around her hips. She lifted her hips and broke the kiss to peer into his emerald eyes that sparked in the light of the fire, while he slid them off of her. He trailed kisses down her neck, between her breasts, down her stomach, and to her pelvic bone. Adrien kissed along her hips causing her to spread her thighs with a sigh, and she ran her fingers through his soft hair. He groaned and wrapped his lips around her swollen clit and gently sucked on it. She clenched her thighs around his head and let out a soft moan, as she peered down at him. She watched him, as he slowly ran his tongue from her tight opening to her sensitive nub and she cried out and tugged harder onto his hair. He was gentle and made sure to make her feel like she was his whole world. Adrien pushed all of his love into what he was doing and she unraveled around his mouth, as he brought her over the edge with the flick of his tongue.

He sat up on his knees and she took his body in. How his pecs were bigger than they used to be and how his muscles moved beneath his skin. His abs were more pronounced and they wrapped around to connect to back muscles that she had never noticed before. His arms were more sculpted and filled out. His jawline, angular, and more pronounced. It was like he had aged and only gotten stronger. His cock flexed and precum caught the light and reflected back at her. She sat up and he looked at her with a confused expression. He didn't know what she was doing. "Sit over there." She pointed to an armchair that had wood details that resembled gnarly branches of a dead tree.

Adrien got up and sat down in the chair with his forearms on the arm rests. She crawled towards him and ran her hands up his thighs. She peered at him through her lashes and gripped his thighs, while she slowly licked from the base to the tip of his cock, catching his salty precum on the tip of her tongue. She swallowed it and proceeded to wrap her lips around his swollen head. Adrien cried out and leaned his head back against the back of the chair and widened his legs. His hand fell to her hair, while the other went behind his head and flexed. "Ah! Mari." He moaned as she took him into her mouth and worked him with her lips and tongue. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, coaxing her to keep going with his soft pants and quiet moans. Adrien looked down to catch her glassy eyed stare with his own. His lips were parted and his cheeks were flushed, while his hair fell in front of his chartreuse eyes.

She slowly closed her eyes, wrapped her hand around the base, and began to work her hand and mouth in tandem together, changing angles and swirling her tongue around him. Adrien shifted his hips and tried to keep them still as he watched her with love filled eyes. "I'm gonna cum if you keep doing that, Bugaboo."

She smirked and let him go with one more flick of her tongue on the tip of his cock and it flexed in response; while he groaned at the loss of her warm mouth. He leaned forward and gently pushed her back down to the ground in front of the fireplace. Marinette peered up at him with a dreamy expression. She watched him smirk and slowly bend down to capture her lips with his. "I promise to be gentle. We're gonna go nice and slow. Okay?" Adrien whispered and slowly slid his hand down her side and around her hip. She swallowed hard and lowered her eyelids, biting her lip, and focusing on his soft touches. He slid his hand over her wet folds and slipped his middle finger inside of her tight core. Marinette gasped at the feeling of his finger filling her and she suddenly clutched his bicep with one of her hands.

She bucked her hips and arched her back, letting a soft mewl escape from her pink lips. "Ah…" Marinette slowly slid her hand down his arm and gripped his forearm, that was busy holding him up above her, while his other was busy dipping in and out of her at a slow and steady pace. She reached up and licked his top lip with her tongue and he captured it with his lips, tangling his tongue with hers in a heated kiss. She rocked her hips making sounds that let him know that she wanted more. He slid a second finger in and picked up the rhythm. She dug her nails into his bicep and he groaned, trying to keep himself together. He wanted to bury himself inside of her and claim her as his own. He wanted her to be all his once again. To erase the other man that had hurt her. That had hurt them.

"Ready?" Adrien kissed her lips one last time and trailed kisses down her neck. She nodded and let out a whine, biting her bottom lip at the loss of his touch. "Hang on, baby." Adrien aligned himself with her tight opening and slowly eased into her. She cried out and arched her back, clawing at his arms, his shoulders, anything she could get her hands on. He sank against her body with a groan and she bit into the muscle in his shoulder, causing him to moan louder. He slowly pumped in and out of her and she wrapped her legs around his hips.

Marinette felt like she couldn't hold on much longer, as the pressure built up in her body and along her spine. Her clit swelled up and tingled as his pelvis brushed against it, sending shivers down her spine and into her core. He angled himself just right and grazed the swollen bundle of nerves, causing her to bite down and scream into his shoulder, as she came hard around him. Her walls squeezed his cock and he grit his teeth with his head buried into her shoulder. "Marinette…" He barely got her name out from between his clenched teeth, as he tried to focus on not coming undone.

She was beautiful and like a goddess that no mortal man could dream up. No one had come close to Marinette for him and no one ever would. She was his and no one else's and he was going to make sure of that. He lifted her legs onto his shoulders to penetrate her deeper. She cried out and looked at him through her long dark lashes, as he thrusted into her harder and deeper. Marinette gripped his thighs with her fingertips and nails. He panted, rocking her into the ground. She had never felt so full and so loved. It was like they were whole and like she was finally safe and where she needed to be. He was her savior from the storm. Her hero that she would always admire. He panted and let the last wave of pleasure roll through his body and rest at the base of his spine, before it let go and called out her name. "Marinette… Ah… ah… fuck…" Adrien slowed his pumping to a steady and slow rhythm as he rode out his orgasm. She panted and felt herself get lost in the tides with him, as he gently pulled out of her and held her in his arms. They both fell into a peaceful sleep in front of the roaring fireplace, wrapped up in the blanket that had gone to the park with them so many years ago.

" _Look at that one!" 12 year old Marinette had pointed up at a meteor that had shot across the sky. A 12 year old Adrien chuckled beside her on the reversible blanket, as they both laid on their backs and peered up at the sky._

 _Suddenly, Adrien looked at the young girl beside him and he realized that his heart felt like it had grown too big for his chest. The moonlight caught her rosy cheeks and her blue eyes sparked in the streetlights. "Hey, Mari?"_

" _Hm?" Marinette turned her head to peer into his glowing green eyes. She saw his cheeks flush a warm pink and she was left confused by his expression. He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, before he opened his mouth to speak._

" _One day… I'm going to marry you." Adrien looked up and about twenty meteors shot across the night sky above them. Marinette looked up and watched them shoot across with wonder and awe, but she was lost in his words._

 _She burst out into a fit of giggles and rolled onto her stomach. She poked him on the tip of his nose with a smile and said, "Silly Kitty."_

A content smile graced Marinette's lips as she slept. As Tikki wondered what she was dreaming about that would elicit such a soft and loving smile, a light orb shot into Marinette's stomach. Tikki's hands covered her mouth as Plagg looked up sleepily, a confused look on his face. He looked like he was about to make a comment, but Tikki just shook her head. Her heart swelled at the thought of what this meant for their holders, who had endured so much suffering for one's so young. Tikki put her hand up to her mouth, "Shh… Don't wake them up. They'll find out when the time is right. It'll be perfect." Tikki settled back down against Plagg with a warm smile. Plagg made a few unintelligible grumbles as he rolled his eyes at his other half. He had just awoken, and now the rest of his existence was going to be annoying as hell. He yawned as he considered how to use this to his advantage to get more cheese before lowering his head back to the pillow.

Marinette stretched her arms above her head and yawned, smelling something warm and chocolatey in the air. Adrien walked over with a warm cup of tea and handed it to her. "I hope you don't mind. I decided to make pain au chocolat. It was one of my mother's recipes. I haven't made it in ages. So, we'll see how they turn out." He smirked at her, as she took the warm drink from his hands with a thoughtful smile.

"I remember those. They were delicious and gave my father's a run for his money." She giggled and took a sip of the tea, letting it warm her tongue and her throat. His mother had made pain au chocolat well and it was one thing that she had loved about her. Maybe one of the only things actually. Marinette knew how much the memory meant to Adrien. She stood up on wobbly legs and slipped his white shirt back on, buttoning enough of the buttons to be modest. She walked into the kitchen and watched him pull the chocolate filled pastries from the oven. The smell of warm chocolate and butter filled his apartment and warmed her soul. It was exactly what she needed after everything that had happened in her life. Tikki zipped in at the smell of the delicious smelling pastries, tugging Plagg along with her. She loved sugar, while he would rather just enjoy a piece of delicate fine cheese. The smellier the better in his eyes.

Adrien passed Tikki and Marinette a chocolate filled croissant and set a plate of camembert in front of Plagg. He sat down at his own plate at the kitchen table and they all talked about the past and what Tikki and Plagg had been through. How much the world had changed and what kinds of holders they had previously had before. It was all interesting to Marinette and Adrien enjoyed the light that sparked in his Lady's eyes at the history behind the kwamis. He admired that about her. About how she was always interested in the story behind objects, especially family heirlooms. They were always important to her. He rested his cheek on his palm and listened to Tikki and Plagg ramble on about a past that he would never know. Breaking out, now and then, into arguments over small details within their stories. Marinette would begin to giggle at the two arguing kwamis and Adrien relished in the sound.


	13. Time's Up

"It's time you told me what you knew." Luka stared at the ridiculous woman in front of him, his patience quickly wearing down. It had been three days. Three days she had strung out telling him anything to do with Marinette. Three days he had to put up with her self important attitude. Three days she had rode him so hard he wasn't sure if his dick could take much more. _Three days of complete torture._ Hours of her using him for her own pleasure and not caring about his own agenda. He was beyond irritated with her and beginning to get fed up with this woman, who thought she could put herself above him when _he_ was the one that was supposed to be in control.

"Yeah, yeah. Marinette, blah blah blah. Honestly, I don't see why you're so obsessed with her when you have _me_ right here and willing to work with you." Chloe rolled her eyes as she continued to examine her nails. Her quick mind had managed to throw him off the trail to her true intentions so far, but she was sensing that her time was running out. She knew exactly where Marinette was, not because she had seen her or kept in contact with any of their schoolmates to have been informed of her whereabouts. No, she knew because there was only one person Marinette would run to if she was in trouble. But that was the one person in the world she wasn't going to allow anyone to hurt. Not because she had any sentimental attachment to him or 'feelings' for him, but because she was the only person allowed to orchestrate his downfall.

"I do not have to explain my reasoning to you, woman. Either tell me what I want to know, or I'll have you disposed of. Quit stalling and fucking _tell me what I want to know._ Or…. Are you _protecting her?_ Is that what's going on? Never took you for the loyal type." Luka sneered at her with a mocking expression.

"Puh-lease. As if I'd ever give a damn about that bitch. She-" Chloe's words were choked off as she was lifted bodily from the chair she was sitting in. Luka's hand tightened around her throat as her eyes watered. He looked down on her with a dark rage burning in his serpentine eyes. His voice was low as he shoved his face as close to hers as he could.

"Do not speak of her like that. She is my property, and you will respect that. Remember, you are only here because _I_ have had mercy on you. Your usefulness ends with your information. If you were as intelligent as you believe yourself to be, you would start proving your worth beyond that." He flung her down and walked over to the window of her bedroom. He was suffocating here, he needed to get out and away so that he could start putting his plan into action. He had arranged for a place to stay more permanently while in Paris, but it wouldn't be ready until this afternoon. He had planned to stay here until that time, but he couldn't stomach any more of this pretentious bitch.

"...She's with Adrien Agreste." Chloe's voice was raspy and her hand was gently massaging her throat as she glared at Luka's back with hate filled eyes. "But I'll tell you right now, he's been on my hitlist for years. If you interfere, I will end you. I don't give a shit how big and bad you think you are. You're a little bitch compared to the man I work for."

Luka laughed heartily and turned to face her. "As long as he doesn't get in my way, I have no interest in him. And don't presume to know anything about me, _tesoro_ , or the lengths I would go to. As long as the pretty boy stays away from Marinette, no harm will come to him. Unless you decide to doublecross me. Then I will destroy him while you watch. I'm not entirely convinced it's just a 'hit' for you, anyways. Especially if its taken _years_." A calculating look in her direction and he started walking towards her door with a wave. Now that he finally had a lead, he could get the hell out of here. He didn't even bother to glance her direction as he let himself out of her bedroom.

This suited Chloe just fine. She waited until she heard her front door open and close before going and unlocking the drawer that contained her personal items. She picked up her phone and opened up a new text window, tapping in Adrien's number.

Chloe: He knows where she is.

She watched as immediately three dots appeared at the bottom of the conversation.

Adrikins: Thks.

Chloe narrowed her eyes as she poured herself a drink at her minibar. Luka might think he knows how to play the game, but she's been trained since she was born. And she knew how to win.

Adrien sighed heavily as he put his phone down. He knew their good luck would run out at some point, but he was hoping they could've at least gotten a week before having to uproot everything. Picking up his glasses, he resumed preparing his lessons on quantum mechanics for the week. Knowing once he got home he would have to burst the happy bubble him and Marinette had been existing in since her arrival. She had been so happy the past few days, always greeting him when he arrived home from work with a smile, cooking delicious meals and spending their evenings reading or watching television. Their nights were spent wrapped around each other making up for all the lost time and loneliness of the last six months. Her job had given her a huge severance package, her boss totally understanding why she had to leave once she explained her situation. He had advised her not to disclose her reasons, but she had assured him that her superior was someone she trusted explicitly. She had been proven correct when her resignation package had arrived, along with a handwritten note assuring she would always have a place there, if she still wanted it once things were… settled. He was grateful that was one less thing she had to stress about. It also freed them up to be able to disappear. She still hadn't contacted anyone to let them know she was back in Paris. Alya and Nino had been updated on her location once he secured another phone for her.

He sighed and shut down his computer as he rubbed his eyes. Working was pointless now, and it was close enough to the end of his office hours to leave. He would have to figure out a way to maintain his classes while on the run so that they would still have income. He had a healthy amount of cash in his bank account from all his years of modeling but having a steady income never hurt. Going over different scenarios, places to go, things they would need to travel, he packed up and started home.

Adrien walked in the door, expecting to be greeted as soon as it shut just as he had been the past few days. His heart started hammering as nothing but silence greeted him. Plagg flew out of his shirt pocket with a yawn, stretching and scratching himself. Hearing his holders heart pound, his eyes sharpened. "Tikki's gone."

Those two words caused Adrien to panic. _No… no no no! How could he have already found her?_ Adrien thought frantically as he went from room to room. Luka'd only found out today that she was with Adrien. He stopped short. _Did_ he find out today? Did Chloe immediately text him or did she wait for some reason? He wouldn't risk talking to her any more than absolutely necessary so he couldn't ask. Besides, he still hadn't had a chance to tell Marinette about their… Whatever it was. No, talking to Chloe was out of the question. Once he ascertained Marinette wasn't in his apartment, he picked his phone up with shaking hands and called her new number. If Marinette was gone, he didn't know what he'd do.

"Adrien?" Marinette's voice filtered through the phone speakers.

Adrien sank down to the floor as he tried to even out his breathing. He knew his reaction was irrational, she wasn't a prisoner here she could come and go whenever she pleased. But hearing from Chloe and then coming home to find her gone scared the shit out of him.

"Adrien, what's wrong? Kitty?" Her voice sounded more urgent the longer he didn't respond. "I'm almost back to the apartment, where are you? ADRIEN?!"

Her words snapped him out of his panic attack, he took a deep breath and weakly told her he was already there and that he'd see her soon. She hung up but he remained on the floor in the middle of the living room until she slipped through the front door a few minutes later. She dropped down in front of him, pulling him close and laying his head above her heartbeat.

"I'm here, Kitty. I'm here. What happened? What's wrong?" His silence was starting to really concern her. It was obvious something happened, some new piece of information had come in, but she couldn't get him to talk to her. His body started to shake as he started to sob and Marinette started to really panic.

"ADRIEN!" She yanked his face up to hers. His eyes were closed, tears leaking out of the corners in a broken stream. She was tempted to slap him to try and revive him, but Tikki flew up next to her before she had the chance.

"He's in shock, Marinette. Even if you slapped him, it wouldn't help." Tikki looked over at Plagg, who was sitting on his holders shoulder with a lost expression. She flew over to him and smacked him on the back of the head. "Why aren't you helping? What did you do to him?!"

Plagg rubbed the back of his head and flew away from her. "I didn't do a damn thing to him! You two weren't here when we showed up and he just started freaking out! What the hell was I supposed to do?! I didn't know where you were either-" He flew into the other room with Tikki hot on his heels, her paw held out to smack him again.

"Chaton, talk to me. Please," She begged him. "I'm right here, nothing happened to me. I just went to visit Alya while you were at work. I didn't know you were going to be home early or I would've made sure to be here. I'm sorry I wasn't here, Kitty."

He looked up at her as she continued to apologize for something that was perfectly normal. He decided that he couldn't live like this. In fear, constantly concerned for her safety. He wouldn't dream of caging her to his apartment like a trapped songbird. Too many years of being trapped in his father's house ringing in his mind, causing him silent anguish and ricocheting like strewn bullets. He wouldn't dream of putting her into that position. He wouldn't dream of putting anyone into the hellish life like the one he had known. No matter the circumstances or threat.

"We have to leave. He knows. He knows you're here. You are no longer safe with me. You have to run-" His terrified rambling was cut off as she kissed him. He melted into her calming embrace as she continued to press soft kisses to his lips, nose, eyes and temples. Once she had calmed him down enough, he pulled away and looked at her. She smiled gently at him with nothing but trust and love in her eyes. He steeled himself and sat up. He kept her hand in his and looked at her, ashamed at his breakdown. "I'm sorry, Bug. I thought he had gotten you before I had a chance to get you away. That was irrational of me and I apologize."

She laughed out of pure relief. "Silly Kitty, there's no need to apologize. I'm afraid you're still stuck with me. I won't go down that easily. But," her expression sobered and she gazed at him levelily, "What's all this about me running? Why aren't _we_ running? Surely you don't want to stay here while I escape? You're a smart man, Adrien. I know you know better than that." Her expression softened and she placed her hands on either side of his face. "Whatever happens, we go together. Ladybug is nothing without Chat Noir."

He turned his face towards her palms and kissed them gently. "Of course, my Lady."

"Now, tell me everything you know and lets come up with a plan while I make dinner. What're you in the mood for? And don't say 'you'-" Marinette didn't get to finish her jab as he tackled her. She laughed as he tickled her sides, thrashing back and forth on the floor where she had fallen. Adrien was so grateful that she was in his life again, he couldn't help but do everything in his power to continue making her laugh as much as he could. Everything else could wait.


	14. Mysterious Illness

_I couldn't help myself, here's one more chapter. I've been up for nearly 40 hours by this point. Our air conditioner broke, so I spent the night and all of today in a 94 degree house with 11 cats and 2 kids. It's over 100 degrees every day where I live, so it's a shitty time for it to kick the bucket. So I wrote this to preserve my sanity until we could leave. I hope you enjoy and I promise, no more chapters until I get back ;)_

" _Luka, it has been over a month since I gave you your assignment. My patience is quickly dwindling. If you do not locate and deal with Marinette Dupain-Cheng within the next two weeks, I will personally oversee your death."_

Fucking old man. Fucking bitch. Luka was not used to things not going his way. He was not unduly worried about the old man coming after him, but it was demeaning to be reminded of his failures. Failure to catch _one simple woman._ He threw his glass across the room of the small houseboat he was staying in, watching as it shattered on impact and liquid seep through the carpet just like blood. Picking up his phone, he dialed one of his oldest 'friends' in the business. If she was unable to locate Marinette, then he would worry.

"What?" A cool female voice rang out after the third ring.

"Nice to hear from you too," Luka said dryly, "I need a favor. Come over and let's make a deal? I'm in your neck of the woods. I'll send you the coordinates. Tonight at seven?"

"..." A sharp click announced that she had hung up without responding. Unperturbed by this, he sent the coordinates to the location of his houseboat over and started preparing for the evening of fun ahead. It wouldn't do to not have the special supplies required for this meeting on hand.

The once immaculate interior of the houseboat lay in ruins. Furniture was overthrown, hundred euro notes lay burned and scattered among disheveled mounds of white powder, a crooked line of specialty knives still bit into the wood where they had been haphazardly thrown earlier. The oven burner was left on, the red glow accenting the smoke that lightly billowed in the breeze from the open windows. The two occupants of the aforementioned houseboat, however, didn't give a shit about any of that. Luka growled like an animal at the woman riding him, feeling the sting of her nails as she scraped them down the side of his neck and the cool beads of blood dripping down after them. She ignored his noises as she bounced on his cock wildly. It had always been like this between them. This was how they worked out the details of their little deals: he would provide the drugs and the place, she would provide the service and carry out his wishes. He paid her handsomely for it, naturally, and as such she was the one person who had never disappointed him. She was the best around, and Luka only surrounded himself with the best.

Once their 'business' had been concluded, she surprised him with her next words. "I can get the old man off of your back if you'd like. I'm one of his best clients, he'll be a little less rigid once he learns I'm involved."

Luka was already shaking his head and opening his mouth to protest, but she put a finger to his lips. "Trust me, he is _very_ interested in seeing this through. He'll want to make sure it's done right, and he knows that I'm very thorough with my job. I know how you like to play with your food before you eat it, so let me get you the time to do so, okay?" She turned with one last smirk and walked out onto the deck, heels clicking until only the gentle lapping of waves remained. Luka sighed and stretched out on his bed, mellowed by the drugs and the sex. He fell asleep planning what he would do to Marinette once he caught her.

Adrien quietly unlocked the front door of their new home, glancing at his surroundings one more time as he had done every day since they had secretly moved in a few weeks ago, before slipping in and quickly closing the door behind him. Walking over to the low wrought iron table that ran the length of the entryway, he dumped his keys, phone, wallet and laptop bag on top of the glass. He slipped off his shoes and placed them next to Marinette's on the floor under the table. He teased her mercilessly about her weird aversion to having shoes on in the house, as well as her obsession with her 'no shoes in the house' rule, but he secretly thought it was adorable. The way she took pride in even the littlest details of her life made his heart swell. His Lady had taken this shell of a house and already made it a home in the short amount of time they had been there, much like she had taken his shell of a heart and restored it to its former glory in that same amount of time. Padding along the cool tile, he bypassed the first set of doorways he came across, choosing instead to keep heading towards the last doorway furthest down the hallway. Pausing in puzzlement at the closed door because it was usually opened, he knocked lightly.

"Go away, Adrien." Mari's weak voice sounded hoarse, even through the closed door.

"I'm coming in." Adrien gave her exactly two seconds before he turned the handle and opened the door. His gaze was immediately drawn to the toilet area, where his fiancee was slumped on the cool tile floor, one side of her face pressed against it. One of her hands shakily came up to hide her face in embarrassment, her face burning a bright red.

"Oh, Bug. It happened again, didn't it? That's every day this week. I think we should get you in to see a doctor tomorrow." He softly chided her as he bent down and lifted her from the floor. Carrying her bridal style, he exited the bathroom through a door directly across from the one he entered. The room beyond was darkened, the curtains drawn over the single window. He laid her on a chaise similar to the one she used to have in her bedroom at her parents apartment, brushing her hair away from her clammy face before leaning in and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"No. It just a cold I'm sure. Or my body reacting to the stress of the move and Luka. You know I can't see a doctor, Adrien. I would have to give them my name and information and that would blow our cover. I'm sure I just need to rest. You probably shouldn't get too close to me though, just in case it's contagious." Marinette tried to push him away, but he remained stubbornly close to her face, looking at her like she was the most delicate flower in all the world. It was both irritating and flattering.

Adrien huffed quietly. Like he would distance himself from his Lady during her time of need. What a ridiculous thought. "Would you like a glass of water, Princess?"

She nodded and her eyes slipped closed again. Adrien rose and returned to the hallway, walking back towards the front door. He turned right into their spacious and bright kitchen, going through a large open door frame with an arched top. He walked across to the cabinets and pulled a glass down before walking over to the fridge and filling it with ice and water. He set it down on the island and leaned his hands against the edge of the black marble countertop. His hair fell into his eyes as he bowed his head and closed his eyes. "Every day this week. She's thrown up every day this week. Always around the same time of day. Somehow I don't think I have to worry about her being contagious." He had his suspicions on what phenomenon was causing her illness, but fear stopped him from approaching her about it. Surely she had guessed the same as he? Maybe she didn't want it, and was trying to figure out a way to tell him? He had no clue what her motives for not acknowledging it could mean, and so he gave her the space to choose when to discuss it. Or maybe he was just terrified of her rejection of their…. He shook his head to clear the thought before he could even finish it.

Plagg phased out of his shirt pocket, his arms crossed. His normal smirk was gone once he saw the glass of water sitting in front of his holder. He turned to Adrien's haunted expression, knowing the dark path his holder's thoughts were going down. He would need to distract him or he'd be too lost to return to Marinette or be of any help whatsoever. And, Plagg still needed his cheese. Since the smell of camembert caused Marinette to gag, Plagg couldn't just have it whenever he felt like it anymore. Plagg's heart softened at the thought of his Princess wanting to feed him and take care of him but being unable to. "Again? You should take some of those plain crackers she likes, they seem to help too."

Adrien looked up in surprise at the tiny kwami floating in front of him. If he didn't know any better, he'd believe there was a tiny hint of concern creeping into Plagg's tone. This caused Adrien's heart rate to increase even further. "You're…. You're worried about her too! Oh shit, maybe I've got it all wrong. If it's something that causes _you_ to be concerned, I-" Adrien stopped as a thought occurred to him. He narrowed his eyes at the tiny black cat god in front of him. "Plagg. You're an all powerful being, correct?"

Plagg registered the change in his holders tone and began to panic. He already didn't like where this line of questioning was leading. Tikki had sworn him to silence on the matter, and he was not interested in being on the receiving end of her wrath should he spill the beans. "Of course. How many other floating black cat gods do you know that can eat as much cheese as I do?" His attempt at levity fell flat as Adrien's gaze bored into him. _Why'd I have to get a Kid that is so damn smart? What happened to the dumb blonde stereotype,_ Plagg thought to himself with a small sigh.

Meanwhile, Adrien continued to talk through his thoughts as he processed them. "And Tikki took Marinette through a cleansing ritual. Because she could sense the state of Marinette's body and soul, and the wounds that needed to be healed from her ordeal with Luk-ass. This would imply that she could sense the state of various parts of Marinette's body merely by proximity. Now, I would imagine that you would be able to similarly sense something off about Marinette. Isn't that correct? Do you know what's 'wrong' with Marinette, Plagg? Because if you do, and you just aren't telling me, I will make sure that you are only fed the nuclear orange powdered cheese that comes in the boxes of macaroni and cheese for the rest of your existence. Do you understand me?" Adrien stood up straight and glared down his nose at his kwami friend. He could never be that cruel to Plagg, but he wanted to see how Plagg would react and gauge his expression. Adrien was desperate to know the answer to the question that had been eating him up all week.

Before Plagg could even move to reply, Tikki flew into the kitchen with a concerned look on her face. She knew Adrien would mistake the concern in her voice, thinking it for Marinette's health instead of how close Plagg was to revealing the reason for Marinette's sickness, so she put a slight quiver in her voice as she floated down to rest on his shoulder. "Adrien? Marinette was worried why you were taking so long to get the water. She was concerned that she had started to make you feel ill as well. Is everything alright?"

"No, everything's fine, Tikki. Plagg was just suggesting I grab those crackers she likes as well, so I was just about to do that and head back to her." Adrien waved a hand in Plagg's direction and turned towards the pantry, his focus shifting to finishing his mission and getting back to his soon to be wife.

He didn't notice that Plagg heaved a sigh of relief at the same time he released a sigh of worry.


	15. Found

A/N: Hey all! Back from vacation with this giant chapter just for you! This gets really dark again: torture, rape, gore and kidnapping all occur in this chapter. Consider yourself warned! We've finally started to pull a bit ahead, chapter 16 is already written and we've started on 17.

To the commenter (I forgot who said it) that said it sounded like we're in Texas: you're correct! Two out of the three of us are located there. Way to guess correctly! :) Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Luka adjusted his position in the empty room across the street from the college Adrien Agreste worked at. It had been two weeks of the same routine: he'd watch Adrien walk into the building at 7:30am sharp, monitor him as he left for lunch at noon and returned back at 1pm, and then follow him as far as the train station when he left the college for the day at 5pm. No variances, no action, _no anything_. This guy had to lead the most boring life in all existence. But today was going to be different than the other tedious days. _She_ had contacted Luka just yesterday, telling him she had finally gotten a lead on where Adrien goes once he gets to the train station in Orleans. Luka had followed him to the train station in Orleans personally the first week, only for Adrien to just _disappear_ once he got there, _every single fucking time_. It was a frustrating situation, and Luka never had much patience to begin with. So he had recruited _her_ to help him once more. _I wouldn't have to rely on her so much if the fucking old man hadn't of blacklisted me from being able to recruit any workers here. Bastard,_ Luka thought to himself. His eyes caught Adrien's bright hair as he emerged from the double doors in Luka's sight. Straightening up, Luka packed up the simple kit he had brought with him each day. Once everything was gathered, he slipped the small black backpack onto his shoulders and he was off. Adrien took the same train home every day he worked, so Luka didn't pay much attention on where Adrien was physically located. He had stayed to make sure Adrien left in his usual way, now he was able to relax until the train stopped in Orleans. _Then,_ Luka smiled wickedly as he thought to himself, _we'll see if my intel is correct. If it is, pretty boy, you won't be able to protect her from me, even with that super suit of yours._

Luka slipped out of the train doors near the end of the train cars as soon as they opened after arriving in Orleans. He only had moments to get into his new position before it was too late. He climbed the stairs in the building immediately across the street from the train station, nearly running to get to his destination. It was a little cheesy, but it was the best plan he could come up with that would get him close enough to Adrien to drop his tracker into his hair in his transformed state. He wanted the strongest magical signature possible to track, and he needed to make sure Adrien was already transformed so that the tracker didn't disappear. So he had come up with a plan that could only be enacted after Adrien became his superhero self. He burst out onto the roof of the building. He ran over to the edge and hopped up onto the ledge that ran around the edge of the rooftop access. He pulled out his cell phone, dialing a number while catching his breath.

"I'm in position." He hung up the phone after finishing his statement, slipping his phone into the pocket of his gray sweatpants. In order for the stunt he was about to pull to be believable, he had to dress the part. His black and blue locks were mussed up like he hadn't washed his hair in a few days. He was wearing a dirty plain black t-shirt. Everything about his appearance screamed 'pathetic human', which is what Luka thought about every person that did what he was about to do.

He started pacing back and forth, wringing his hands and running them through his hair occasionally. He went the length of the building a couple of times before he started to hear shouting down below.

* * *

A woman hung up her phone with a smirk. She was dressed in smart business attire; a white blouse unbuttoned dangerously close to her ample cleavage, a short black pencil skirt so tight it left nothing to the imagination, and black stiletto heels adorning her feet. Her face was covered in thick makeup, her long brown hair was curled and hanging loose around her shoulders. She could just barely see Luka standing on the edge of the roof. She watched him start to pace before she took a deep breath and pulled out all the acting skills she had learned over the course of her young life.

"Somebody! Anybody! Please help! There's a man up there, I think he's gonna jump!" She ran from person to person, drawing all eyes up to Luka on the building. The crowd was quickly whipping into a frenzy, but there was still one person who had yet to join the fray. She spotted him just as he was coming out of the alleyway he usually ducked into to transform. He looked like he was torn between fleeing and stopping to see what the commotion was about, his adorable kitty ears pointing different directions. One was pointing towards home, the other crinkled back towards the noise from the onlookers. Seizing her chance, the woman ran over to him. Just before she got to him, she artfully 'tripped' and fell towards him. He startled but managed to catch her before she crashed to the ground. He helped right her, and she stood up with her chest heaving and sticking out a little more than strictly necessary.

"Thank you so much, Sir! You look like a big strong hero," she ran her hands up his muscular arms to emphasize her words, "I think that man up there is trying to kill himself. He keeps looking down like he's gonna jump. Please, hero, won't you save him?" She looked up at him with mournful teary eyes. He remained conflicted for another moment before sighing.

"Lead me to him." The cat-man stepped back from her as he said it, creating a little space between their bodies. He followed her as she wound around the throng of people now gathered at the base of the building.

"He's at the top, on the ledge. I-" She turned around to find he was already gone. She smirked before cupping her hands around her mouth and shouting, "Oh my! Won't anyone save him?!" Satisfied her work was done, she retreated back to the train station to wait for the arrival of the next train back to Paris.

* * *

Luka heard her cry, recognizing it as their secret signal that Adrien was on his way to 'rescue' Luka from falling to his death. He turned his back on the crowd below, focusing on the only door to the rooftop access. He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out the tiny tracking device that looked like a snake eye. It was state of the art, as big as tick, and best of all - would melt in water. Luka figured that, since Adrien was such a pretty boy what with his modeling career and all that, he would shower as soon as he got home each day. That would allow Luka's device to fall off in the shower and down the drain, leaving no evidence it was ever there in the first place. It had cost Luka a very pretty penny to get his hands on it, but he deemed Marinette worth it. Or, rather, his revenge on her for escaping him worth it. For extra insurance, he focused his magical energy into a concentrated drop and covered the device with it. At least this way, Luka would still have a small signature to follow if the device failed. He had learned the hard way that you could never have too much insurance when enacting a plan involving public spectacles. He needed this to go off without a hitch. He needed Marinette under his thumb once more. He placed the tracker in the palm of his hand, before squeezing it into a fist.

Adrien burst out on the roof, looking around wildly before spotting the man the woman had told him about. His appearance triggered something in Adrien's mind, but he couldn't grasp the thought fully before it was slipping away from him. He shook his head and started to cautiously approach the man. "Sir, please, come down. Let's talk about what's bothering you, okay?"

Luka could feel the hatred welling up for the man in front of him, but he still had to appear pathetic for another few moments. _Just get through this conversation,_ Luka thought with disgust. "No! I can't take being in this world anymore. I can't trust anyone! My wife left me for her childhood friend without telling me, and now she's pregnant with my child! That scum is gonna raise MY kid! I never even got the chance to tell her-" Luka laid the lies on thick to this idiot in front of him, his bleeding heart already showing.

"But that's no reason to do this! There's so much more to live for! There's always-" Adrien stopped abruptly, reaching out helplessly as the man shook his head one final time before spreading his arms out wide.

"Fuck this world. Fuck her. Fuck the asshole that she ran back to. _Fuck you._ " Luka closed his eyes and tilted backwards. He knew this fool wouldn't be able to stand letting an 'innocent' human get hurt, so he wasn't really concerned about the fact that he was now falling rapidly to his supposed death. He kept his hands in tight fists so as to make sure the device didn't slip out. After free falling for a few moments, his descent was arrested. His eyes snapped open as he felt the magic in his body being cancelled out by the man who was now swinging him to safety. _Wait, what the fuck?! Well this is interesting. How the hell is he doing that?! There goes my extra insurance,_ Luka thought bitterly to himself. If he didn't hate this man before, he absolutely abhorred him by this point. Knowing his time was quickly running out, he mimed flailing about, as if he hadn't yet realized that he was no longer falling. His hand came close to Adrien's head as they landed on a rooftop terrace next to the building Luka had jumped from. He swiftly opened his fist and let the tracking device fall into Adrien's golden locks. The thing supposedly clung to anything, so he hoped that the other man's hair was thick enough for it to latch onto.

"Listen, I don't have time to wait around on the police to show up, so I'm gonna give you a choice. I can either set you down and you walk away from this with no consequences and learn to deal with your shit, or I wait here for the authorities and have to explain to them _what_ exactly I am. I don't want to do that, but I will if I need to. I'll leave it up to you though." Adrien knew he was coming off slightly harsh, but he could feel Plagg tugging on him in the back of his mind and he had the strangest urge to either punch this guy in the face or run home as fast as he could to check on Mari. This confused him to no end because he had never seen this man before in his life. A strong sense of familiarity washed over Chat, but before he could think any further, the man spoke quietly.

"I don't want to be arrested or interrogated. Just take me to an alleyway and let me go home. But, I'd like to know the name of the man who turned my life around. Who knows, maybe I'll name my son after you if I ever have one." Luka could barely hold back the dark laughter that bubbled at the surface. Like he would _ever_ consider naming any child of his after this pretty boy. But he did wonder whether or not Adrien would reveal the name of his true identity or if he would lie about it. He wanted to get away from this man as fast as possible, the void of where his magic should be taunting him, leaving him feeling naked and powerless. And Luka didn't take feeling powerless very well at all.

"Chat Noir." Chat bounded down to the alleyway the man had spoke of, setting him down in the middle of it. The man stuck his hand out to shake Chat's, but Chat just put two fingers up to his temple and pushed them away from his head in a farewell gesture. He just wanted to put as much distance between himself and all this commotion as fast as possible. Taking a running start, he extended his baton out and used it as leverage to hoist himself in the air. He continued to work his way out of the city, before long finding himself unable to vault anymore because the cover of buildings was gone. He stowed his baton back in its normal resting spot before starting to jog into the sporadic tree cover, intent on getting home, never noticing that there was someone following him.

* * *

Luka stuck his head around the corner of the house he was currently hiding behind. He glanced down at his phone once more to make sure he had the visual location that corresponded with the tracking dot on his phone. He couldn't help the wicked smile that graced his face the longer he stared at the unassumingly quaint house that Adrien Agreste had just disappeared into. Now he just had to plan some ruse to get Marinette out of it so that he could snatch her up. He was so close to having her again, he could almost taste her terror. As he continued to watch the house, his mouth dropped open as she emerged from the front door. He could barely make out Agreste in the doorway beyond. It looked like this was some sort of a routine between them, judging by the basket dangling from Marinette's arm. She must be headed to the market, he realized with a jolt. A bustling market was the perfect place to make someone disappear. He melted into the shadows before taking off towards the marketplace.

* * *

Marinette mentally went over the list of the ingredients she needed for the Chicken Meuniére she wanted to make for dinner tonight. They needed more chicken, some fresh parsley and other herbs since Adrien had a taste for them and used them on _everything_. _Damn models and their leafy greens obsessions_ , Marinette thought to herself with a good natured grumble. She wouldn't change anything about her model fiancè, not even his weird eating habits. She smiled as she continued to walk towards the market. She had really come to enjoy the people in Loire, everyone was so friendly and helpful. When they had first arrived, seeking asylum away from Luka's gaze, she had gone through a brief period of depression. Couped up in the house they had bought, no friends to see and no one to talk to when Adrien was gone, she had spent her days staring listlessly at the giant television Adrien had in the living room. When they had finally ran out of food, Adrien suggested she start making trips to the market, just to get her out of the house. He had personally checked it out and found it to be a small market but seemingly safe, so he told her she would be safe visiting it when they needed more produce or meat. Even just that little time outside had a marked effect on Marinette's psyche, she would return exhausted but full of life and gushing over every little conversation she had or thing she had seen. So she had gone from going once a week, to twice a week, and now she went each time they needed something in particular as well.

She swung the basket around as she stepped into the marketplace, taking a deep breath to inhale the scents. Fresh bread, whose smell reminded her of her family's bakery, and cooked meat samples that were abundantly offered to customers by almost every stand to compliment the produce sold, made Marinette's mouth water each time she came. She smiled and called out a greeting to each stand owner that she passed. They waved to her and called out their own greetings to her before returning back to their businesses. She made her way through the throng of marketplace patrons until she arrived at her favorite spice cart. The owner of the cart was a kindly older lady that had taken an immediate liking to Marinette the first time she had came to the market. She had spent that first day being led around by the older woman, who knew all the best merchants and who offered the best deals for their product. Marinette always made a point to come find her each time she came to the market, even if her shopping list didn't include spices. She spotted the woman in her usual spot. She wore a soft peach colored blouse, rolled up at the sleeves, and a flowing black skirt that reached her ankles. Low heels adorned her feet and her thick, long gray hair was wrapped into a high bun on her head.

" _Bonjour,_ Mme Dubois!" Marinette waved and called out to her as soon as she was close enough. The kindly woman looked up at her name and smiled in Marinette's direction before finishing the transaction she was working on with a customer. She thanked the customer and walked around to the front of her cart to greet Marinette with a hug.

" _Bonjour,_ Marinette! How many times must I tell you to call me Louise?" The woman good naturedly poked Marinette in her side as they broke apart from their hug.

"At least once more, Mme Dubois. It's habit, but I'll try to break it for you!" Marinette's laughter rang out.

"It's good to hear you laugh again, _petit dame_. I was worried about you there for awhile. You looked so exhausted and pale, I was sure you were coming down with some nasty bug. Speaking of…" Louise turned around and ducked back behind her cart, emerging a moment later with two steaming cups of tea. Waving Marinette back, she set up tea service for them and placed a small tray of baked bread and cheese on a tiny table behind her cart. "Join me, Marinette. I've been waiting for you to return to the market so that we could continue our afternoon tea breaks. They're often the only break I get!" Louise chuckled at Marinette's sympathetic face, waving off her concern. "Now that we're all set up, why don't you catch me up with what you've been doing lately. Worked on any new projects? How did that shirt for Adrien turn out?" Louise picked up her tea cup and crossed her legs before looking over the rim of her cup at the younger girl in front of her. In truth, she was worried about the young lady in front of her. Marinette looked a bit healthier than she had when she had first wandered into the market nearly two months ago, but she could tell the younger woman was still not up to snuff. She had her suspicions as to what was wrong with the younger girl, but she would never pry. If Marinette didn't want to talk about it, she wouldn't bring it up. The young girl was wearing a beautiful pastel blue sundress that had little sunflowers splotched in random patterns all over it. The skirt of the dress was flowing and loose, but the top was fitted to Marinette's small frame. As she watched Marinette come around the side of the cart, her figure was momentarily profiled. _Bingo,_ Louise thought, _I knew she was pregnant._ You could barely see Marinette's bump, it could've been just the remnants of a big meal to the untrained eye. But Louise had four kids and seven grandchildren, so she liked to think she could spot these kinds of things with ease.

"He loved it. The green you helped me pick out really compliments his eyes. He wore it to work today." Marinette reached down and picked up her tea cup, adding honey and sugar before stirring it and setting her spoon on the tray. She gingerly took a sip of the steaming liquid, rolling her eyes up before closing them. "Good grief, this is delicious. Just what I needed today. I've been able to keep more food down lately, but liquids are harder for some reason. I can't even look at a glass of water anymore." Marinette sighed. She really couldn't wait to get this sickness out of her system. It had been over two months of exhaustion and puking her guts out. And yet for some strange reason she was still gaining weight. Now that she was feeling a bit stronger, maybe Tikki would transform her again. She had originally thought she could run around the rooftops as Ladybug for exercise when they first moved to Loire, but Tikki refused to transform her more than once or twice a week. She wouldn't tell her why either, just that she couldn't be transformed too often. It was strange that Tikki gave her this power, but then immediately set limits on it. As far as she could tell, Plagg had put no such restraint on Adrien's transformations. Adrien transformed every day he had to work. Marinette wanted to be upset at Tikki about it, but she hadn't had the energy for transformations anyways. But maybe now…. "I'm thinking about starting the design on my wedding dress. I've only drawn a hundred different sketches of it, I need to buckle down and just pick one so I can start gathering my materials." She laughed.

"Have you picked a date for it yet?" Louise wondered if Marinette would finally say something about her pregnancy. After all, the wedding would have to be planned around her growing bump or postponed until after she had the baby.

"I was hoping for a fall wedding, but it might be too soon. And I need to get rid of this pooch before I can even _think_ about wearing a wedding dress." Marinette gestured to her stomach.

Louise choked on her tea, trying to rasp in breath while looking at Marinette incredulously. _She doesn't know?_ Louise thought in surprise. _I can't believe she has no clue._ "I wouldn't worry too much about it, _cher_. You'll want everything to be perfect, so just take your time and plan it out right." She wanted to tell the younger girl, but it wasn't her place. They finished their tea and snack and Marinette stood up and stretched. The sun was starting its descent in the sky. Her hands stretched over her head as her back popped, before unconsciously slipping down to smooth her dress over her bump. Louise watched her with an amused expression before she stood too and gave Marinette a hug. "Come back and see me again soon. We need to do this more often. Here, give me your phone and I'll put my number in it. Come visit me at home sometime soon, okay? My husband would love to meet you and Adrien." Louise took the proffered phone and typed her information into Marinette's contacts. She handed it back to Marinette after she was done, and watched as she tucked it under the blanket nestled into her basket for safe keeping until she got home. With a smile and a wave, she watched as Marinette walked back into the slightly less crowded market to get her items. As she was turning around to clean up their tea cups, she caught a flash of black and blue out of the corner of her eye. Looking up fully, she thought she could see a silhouette of a man trailing just behind Marinette, but she brushed the thought off. This was a market after all, and people were bound to be visiting the same stores at some point. No reason to upset Marinette with speculation after all she had been through.

Marinette was grateful for the late afternoon snack to tide her over until she could get home. She worked her way down the line of booths, looking at their wares and passing up the things she didn't need. Once her basket was full of the different herbs and produce she needed, she started to make her way back towards the entrance of the market. As she was walking, she could feel a strange aura coming from one of the alleyways. She tried to ignore the compulson she felt to go check and make sure everything was okay. She didn't have good luck with dark uninhabited spots, after all. There was plenty of light and life in this place, surely someone else would notice it and go see what it was. She kept walking, but the further away she got from the place radiating the aura, the harder it became to walk. It was like a magnetic pull was trying to drag her backwards. In her tired state, she didn't have much energy to resist. Tikki pressed against her chest, a calming presence against the overwhelming sense of dread radiating around Marinette. She had felt this presence before. Suddenly, everything became clear. Time moved slowly as her eyes flew open and she tried pouring every ounce of energy into running away. _How did he find us?! We were SO careful! No, I need to get back to Adrien! I need to tell him…"_ Marinette's thoughts dimmed as she felt herself being overpowered by the ominous presence. Her head swam as she fought to stay conscious, but she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. As she started to black out, strong arms arrested her fall.

"Found you, _la mia perduta moglie._ "

* * *

Marinette woke with a scream on her lips. Her head lolled back as she tried to get her bearings in the darkness surrounding her. A single light bulb hung brightly over her head, casting everything outside of its pool of light into deep shadow. The air was musty with the smell of decaying wood and dampness. She couldn't see beyond the circle of light to find anything to help her figure out where she was. She was grateful to find that her clothes were still intact, at least Luka hadn't crossed that line while she was unconscious. Her arms burned uncomfortably and her eyes cut to the side to find they were tied to the couch she was situated on, spread out along the back of it in a sick mime of relaxing after a long day. The tightness of the wire biting into her wrists was anything but relaxing, however, it was nothing compared to the terror she felt as she noticed her legs were chained to the legs of the couch. They were pulled apart, the length of the chains not allowing her to press them back together. Her heart rate picked up as she put the clues together in her head. He intended to take her again. This time by force. There was nothing she could do about it. A tear leaked out of her eye as she strove to keep her composure. Maybe Tikki could get her out of the chains.

"Tikki… _Tikki_ … Please, please transform me. I need to leave before he-" Marinette's quiet pleading was interrupted by a sinister laugh coming from the shadows just beyond the light. Her eyes tried to focus on the area she heard the laugh coming from, but only saw darkness. Summoning up her courage, she spoke to the darkness. "I know it's you, Luka. You might as well show yourself. Quit playing games." Maybe if she put on a strong front, she could get him to trust her enough to release her restraints. Luka understood power, and Marinette could act powerful if she needed to. Another laugh, this time wilder, rang out before Luka's shadow fell over her. So he was behind her. She strained her head around as she tried to catch a glimpse of him, anything to keep him in her line of sight so she knew what was coming. He seemed to know what she was trying to do, because he stayed just out of her sights.

He slid up to her, savoring the feeling of finally capturing his prey. Now he had all the time in the world to play with her before disposing of her. The pretty boy wouldn't even notice she was gone until too late. By then there would be nothing but pieces of a body to find and cry over. He smiled as he reached down to stroke her hair, moving it away from her ear and neck so he could lean close to her and whisper, "Let's make our reunion something memorable, _bella._ " He dragged his tongue from her earlobe down her neck, stopping to suck a mark into her pulse point. He continued to kiss and suck her skin over her shoulder, down her arm, before coming to rest with a light kiss on the front of her left hand. He looked at her bare fingers, anger flaring up again at the destruction of his mother's ring.

"I see you managed to get my ring off. Tell me, did it bother _Adrien_ that you wore it? That I had you so thoroughly, more than he could've ever dreamed? You chose to marry me instead of him, how did he feel about that? Was he angry with your-"

"SHUT UP! LEAVE ADRIEN OUT OF THIS! He's innocent! He," Marinette's tears choked off the rest of her pleading as her hormones once again swung into action. Now she was terrified that she was going to die by this sick man's hands. And she knew it wouldn't be immediate, either. He would make her suffer before ending her. "Please… Just leave him alone."

Luka smirked as he came around the side of the couch. "No, no I don't think so. You're not exactly in a position to be making demands of me, _il mia amore._ But I've got an idea of what I could use _with_ the position you're in…" He turned around and reached for something in the darkness, his back facing her. He whipped around and her eyes widened. In one hand was his special knife, the one he carried with him everywhere, along with a silk gag. In the other was a small egg shaped contraption that was faintly buzzing. Her whole body started to tremble as he got closer, a wicked smile across his handsome face. He had time to change and get cleaned up to make himself blend into the market atmosphere once he knew where Adrien and Marinette were staying. He now wore a button down black silk striped shirt, his serpent head belt buckle against a black belt, and black slacks. He had on his expensive Italian crafted shoes. Now, he was in his element. Causing pain, destroying life, the sheer _power_ associated with breaking someone down, it was almost too much to handle. Almost.

He placed the silk gag in her mouth and tied it behind her head. He crowded her as he leaned behind her to tie it, pressing his nose to her pulse point and inhaling deeply before pulling away. He stayed over her, placing a leg on either side hers and bending his knees until his weight was supported by her stretched legs. Her legs trembled violently but she held him up. Pleased, he put the knife blade flat against her chin, tilting her head up until she was forced to raise her eyes to his. Her eyes were frantic, trying to look anywhere but at his face. His magic spread around her, encompassing her and dulling her panic. "I don't want to have to put you under again, _bella._ I want you to be able to scream while I destroy you." He let his knife glide down her neck, careful not to knick her porcelain skin, before coming to a rest right above her heart. "I can smell cat all over you. I've never been a cat person, so we'll have to get rid of his smell. I see he's tainted your heart, turning you against me. That won't do. But first, I don't want you to think I'm completely heartless. Your pleasure is important to me as well, that's why I brought you a gift." He held up the egg shaped gadget, which Marinette belatedly realized must be a vibrator.

She started to thrash against him, forcing him to clamp down to avoid being thrown off. He whipped the knife across her chest, a shallow cut starting to ooze blood almost immediately. She stilled and gasped for breath as he climbed off of her. Pushing her dress up to reveal her simple pale pink underwear, he crouched down until he was eye level with her most private part. His knife slid between her underwear and her skin, forcing a shiver out of her at the coldness of the blade. He pulled and the knife cut through the thin material, rendering it useless. He relished the feeling of the pull of the knife as it sliced the material so much, he couldn't help but grip the bottom of her dress. With a quick swipe upwards, he sliced clean through her dress all the way up. Leaving the dress to hang off of her, he noted that he had accidentally left a cut across her stomach. Putting aside that knowledge for the moment, he came back down to her now exposed pussy. He noticed how she was fruitlessly trying to cringe away from the knife and the vibrator and smiled up at her. "Don't worry, this'll make you feel _good._ "

He turned the vibrator on to the medium setting before dragging it down her folds. She gasped above him as her body started to respond to the stimulation. A low moan escaped her lips as he pressed it to her harder, letting the wetness provide the lubricant he needed to push it in. Once it was fully seated inside of her, he turned it up that last notch to the highest setting. She bit down on the gag as she tried and failed to contain her screams. Her body was betraying her to him again, and there was nothing she could do about it. She felt his mouth wrap around her swollen button and then she was releasing as his tongue flicked over it, lapping at her juices. The vibrator continued to assault her over stimulated muscles, not giving her a chance to recover from her orgasm. Luka lifted away from her pussy, dragging his knife along her skin once more. He straddled her again, palming one breast as he circled her other nipple with his knife. She continued to twitch and jerk as the vibrator stimulated her, unable to stop herself from causing a number of shallow cuts from the knife. He smiled at her efforts to stop herself, pressing the knife against her skin harder before slowly dragging it in a circle around her nipple. Blood fell in fat drops as she screamed around the gag, tears pouring from her closed eyes. Her breasts had been very sensitive the last few weeks, so the pain was nearly unbearable as he carved his crest of blood around her nipple, all the while roughly pinching her other nipple. Her legs shook against his weight as she struggled to remain conscious. Annoyed, he rose above her and backhanded her across the face. "Be _still, donna._ You're killing my good mood."

Marinette continued to shake like a leaf, unable to regulate her breathing. Luka climbed off of her, disgusted. "I thought you were stronger than this, Marinette. What happened to the spitfire I met in Milan?" He kept talking as he reached between her legs to grasp the controller dial for the vibrator and turn it off. Instead of pulling it out by the small cord, he roughly shoved his fingers into her, stretching her out before yanking it out. She threw her head back as her eyes sought anything that could help her escape. She took deep breaths, trying to quail her panic at his fingers being inside of her. Luckily he didn't linger.

"You used to be beautiful in your strength, _mia caro._ The way you got that fire in your eyes when you made a decision you knew would get you in trouble, when you were using those gorgeous lips to pleasure me; it was such a turn on. Now, you can't even handle a little pain," he pressed his thumb against the gash circling her nipple and she cried out again. He stood, moving to the side a couple paces to inspect her ringless finger. "Let's discuss how you broke my hold over you. Tell me, how did you manage to get it off without cutting off your finger?" He looked at her interestedly.

Her head rolled around to look at him, a glimmer of the fire he spoke of in her eyes as she uttered only one word. " _Adrien_." The amount of love and respect she put into his name seemed like a pointed attempt to infuriate Luka. Judging by the hatred written on his face, it was a successful one. She smiled at him despite the pain in her cheek from his slap. Despite the pain radiating from all the cuts he'd made so far. Despite _everything_ , she still had the nerve to goad him. Losing his temper, he slashed the knife down across her knuckles. She cried out in pain, but the heat of her glare remained the same, her eyes never leaving his. He pressed his thumb along the angry welt, savoring the slick feeling of her blood on his fingers. She didn't cry out again.

Just saying his name somehow gave Marinette strength, and she would bend that strength against Luka if she had the opportunity. For now, she needed to get the chains off her arms. She stilled her body, allowing herself to go limp. She hoped he would believe she was broken once again, and become the cocky asshole she remembered from the club. She wanted to keep her eyes open so she could see him at all times, but it would show vulnerability if she closed them. She let her eyelids drop until just the thinnest strip of sight remained to her. She could see his calculating look as he took in her new position.

Luka wondered what game she was playing at by acting docile all of a sudden. To test her will, he passed his hand over her nonbleeding breast once more, squeezing it before pinching her nipple between his finger and thumb. Besides a slight shudder, she didn't move. He grinned wickedly. He wondered how long she'd be able to play at being unconscious if his dick was inside of her. The fight in her spirit was what attracted him to her in the first place, so he would allow her that while he buried his shaft into her. It made the game more exciting if his prey fought back anyways. He turned back to the shadows for a moment before brandishing wire cutters. He walked to her left hand stretched out and roughly jabbed the cutter between her skin and the wire, cutting it away from her wrist. She didn't move her arm or acknowledge that she could. He moved to the other to give it the same treatment, managing to catch a bit of flesh in between the blades. Blood welled but still her arms didn't move. Nodding in approval, he threw the wire cutters away.

"I know you're still conscious, Marinette. You may move your arms."

Marinette's eyes popped open as her jaw hung. "H- how did you know?"

"You forget about my magic. I can taste each emotion you have as you experience it. Your mind is like an open book to me, one I look forward to shredding once I've reached the end of your story. Besides, it's no fun if you don't fight back. I'm hoping you indeed plan to fight back, unless you've decided to come to your senses and join me as my Queen?" Luka smirked down at her with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. Her answer wouldn't change what was about to happen, but it was fun to watch her try to figure out a way to use this info to her advantage.

"I'd rather be burned alive." Marinette let her conviction soak into every word of her reply.

Luka leaned in close, placing his blood streaked hands on either side of her face, "That can be arranged, _piccolo prigioniero._ " He was just a breath away from her now, but her steely gaze never faltered. "That's the fire I was talking about. Get angry, Marinette. Our fun is only just beginning."

His hands trailed down her neck before he stood up and started to undo his belt buckle.

Marinette's eyes widened as she realized what was coming next. Having her hands free was a plus, but it wouldn't be enough to stop him from raping her again. She frantically thought of any way she could stall or distract him, but none of the ideas that came to mind were helpful. It was while she was racking her brain for ideas that she heard Tikkis faint whisper.

" _Marinette. You have to stall him. If he loses control while he's inside of you, his magic could hurt the baby."_

Marinette's breathing stuttered as she processed Tikki's simple words. "Baby? Tikki, what are you talking about? Now is _not_ the time to spring this on me!" Marinette's mind raced against the implications of Tikki's words. _A baby,_ she thought, _that explains it all. How could I have possibly missed the signs? I thought it was just stress. How could I have been so STUPID?_ True, unadulterated panic set in as Luka glided towards her, his long legs no longer covered by his designer slacks and his cock standing at the ready. Marinette was terrified of what he would do to the baby. What did Tikki mean about his magic affecting the baby? He wasn't gentle last time and she was sure that he wouldn't be this time. She didn't have time to be happy that she had Adrien's baby growing inside of her, a little kitten of their own, as Luka's hard shaft came closer. Her hands came up to ward him off by any means possible, but he was expecting this and grabbed her wrists. He pinned them above her head with one hand while he used the other to caress her face with his cock. Her strong facade broke as she started to whimper. "Tikki, spots-" her mouth was suddenly full of Luka's shaft before she could complete her call to transformation. Tikki cried out softly as she helplessly watched her holder's mouth become too full to talk. Marinette's gag reflex was even stronger now that she was pregnant, and it didn't take but a moment for her to start choking around his cock.

"Uh uh, _mia bellissimo_. I don't know what you're muttering about, but whatever it is won't be able to save you from me. No one knows you're here. Even your pretty boy has no idea. He's likely preoccupied by the spectacle I put on at the train station earlier today," he pulled out of her mouth and tilted her chin up to face him. "You see, I needed to know where you were, _bella_. So I staged a little…. incident. Your wanna be hero boyfriend couldn't resist playing the good guy and talking me down from a ledge. Not that I was ever in danger anyways. Does it bother you that he rescued me? That he had no clue who I was or what I had taken from you? _That he could've let me die and you wouldn't be here right now?_ " He laughed as she glared at him in pure hatred. He gripped his shaft to guide it back into her mouth, still laughing.

"I swear to god if you stick that thing back in my mouth, I will bite that shit off." Marinette spoke in a low raspy voice, throat and mouth still raw from the constant gagging. She knew immediately that it was the wrong thing to say as his laughter cut off abruptly.

"Then where do you propose I 'stick it'?" He leaned into her face with a smirk that only promised pain and misery for her. "If I might, I certainly have a suggestion. If you don't mind of course. Then again, it doesn't really matter if you do or not…" He kissed down her neck as his hands skimmed down her body towards her center. " _Bella_ , I think you've let yourself go since we were together last." His hands caressed her rounded stomach and Marinette's composure completely deserted her.

" _Get your fucking hands off of me! Stop! Keep your filthy hands away-"_ Marinette stopped in horror, terrified she had given away too much.

"Away from _what,_ Marinette?" He took in her expression and looked back down at her stomach. When his eyes raised back to hers, he could hear her breathing hitch. The terror was coming off of her in intoxicating waves, so strong he nearly got drunk off of it. She knew she had given too much information, and his smile sealed the deal. "You have been naughty without me around to keep you in line, _cagna_." He bent down and drew his nose across the swell of her stomach. "We'll fix you up, though. I'll carve that _thing_ out of your stomach. Maybe if you behave while I'm doing it, I'll replace it with something even better instead of killing you." He reached for his knife and leaned back, running the blade along the same path his nose just traced. He whipped his hand up as if to prepare to bring it down in an arc and slice across her stomach. Her hands flew to her stomach in a vain attempt to protect it from him. He used his other hand to pin her wrists down once more, pressing into the line of broken skin and causing a burning pain to race along her skin. She started to sob uncontrollably.

"NO! PLEASE! I'll do anything! Please, just don't-" her sobs cut off her words, knowing it was pointless. Luka was ruthless, and she had just presented him with the perfect weakness to exploit.

"Anything, huh? Well, I think something could be arranged." Luka brought the knife down, slamming it into the couch next to her stomach. Marinette flinched hard, and her hysterical cries filled the room until he backhanded her again. "SHUT UP! Stop snivelling and be strong, Marinette. You know how I hate weakness. Be strong, _mia regina_. Be strong and you might save that disgusting cat's spawn. Now, let's return to our deal. Anything, correct? Well, for starters, if you want to keep me happy, I suggest you act like you're enjoying what's coming to you." She nodded brokenly. Satisfied she would no longer resist him, he dropped her hands. They remained limp on either side of her on the couch. He tested her out, sticking his finger into her mouth to see how she would respond. She dutifully sucked on it until he pulled it back out. "Good girl. I'm going to unshackle _one_ of your legs so that you can lay down. You will lay down and do nothing else, otherwise I'll run your stomach through. Do you understand me?" Her bottom lip trembled, whether in anger or horror he didn't know, but she nodded either way.

As he bent to work on the chain lock, Tikki spoke to Marinette once again. " _Marinette, I'm SO sorry, there's nothing I can do to help you if you don't transform. But, please don't lose all hope. Plagg is close, I can feel it! He's transformed Adrien and they are heading in this direction. So if you can just hang on until they get here…"_ A tear fell down Marinette's forehead, directly underneath where Tikki was hiding in her hair. _Survive until Chat gets here… Can I even make it that long? I'm fucking Ladybug and I'm powerless to stop this from happening. How can Marinette Dupain-Cheng possibly hope to make it out of this alive? Chat… Adrien… He would've been so ecstatic, he's always wanted to be a father. I can't rob him of that opportunity. I WILL find some way to protect the life growing inside of me, and I WILL make it out of this alive. If all I need to do is just hold on a bit longer, I can do that. No matter what, I will believe Chat will rescue me._ "Don't worry, Tikki. I've got this. Please, slip out and wait for them outside. Hurry." Marinette's lips barely moved as she gave Tikki her orders. She knew the kwami would protest under normal circumstances, but they were out of time for arguments. She felt Tikki place a tiny kiss upon her head before her comforting weight lifted out of Marinette's hair. She just hoped Tikki would be able to get out in time.

Just then, Luka stood up and she noticed the vibrator was once again in his hands. She watched him warily as he approached, lifting her now free leg and placing it along the back of the couch so that she was forced to lay on her back with her legs spread open. He flipped the switch on the vibrator back on and brought it down to her folds once more. Instead of sticking it in again, he ran it up and down her slit, the vibrations causing her nerves to ignite once again. He stuck the tip of it into her after a few passes, using the wetness to lubricate her and the motion to open her up. He held it to the bundle of nerves, looking at her expectantly. She took her cue and moaned loudly, hoping that it would help Chat pinpoint her location if she was loud. Luka's wicked grin was unnerving as he turned the vibrator off and tossed it somewhere further down on the couch.

He climbed up onto the couch, towering over her as he slammed into her without any warning. He groaned at her tightness, it felt like her walls were trying to strangle his dick. Even pregnant, _il suo bellissimo_ was the definition of pure seduction. He slowly pulled out of her before slamming back in. He relished her screams as he set a punishing pace. Her breasts bounced with the force of his thrusts, and the blood that had oozed out of her body glistened as it mixed with stinging sweat. Her nails racked his back as he continued to pound into her, the pleasure pain spurring him to continue. But it wasn't enough. He needed to break her down and rebuild her into something he could use. He needed more force to be able to hit the deepest part of her while she screamed his name. He pulled out of her and sat on the couch, grabbing her arm as he settled down. He yanked her on top of him, her legs straddling either side of his. His grip was like a vice on her arm. "Ride me, _donna_. Ride me like your life depends on it."

She swallowed before starting to lower herself down, trying to ease onto his thick shaft. He had other ideas. He gripped her hips with bruising force, slamming her down on his cock once more. He moaned as her warmth enveloped him once again, enjoying the feeling of filling her up and stretching her out. He slapped her ass to signal to her that she needed to continue on her own. Or else… He ran a hand across her stomach as a silent reminder. She apparently understood as she rolled her hips before lifting off his cock again. His hands on her hips guided the pace until he was satisfied she didn't need guidance. His hands roamed across her stomach and sides, leaving scratches along the skin as she continued to bounce. "You weren't this quiet last time. You'd better moan your little heart out before you never get a chance to see your pretty boy's baby grow up…" Her moans and cries of his name mixed with his as he captured her bloodied nipple in his mouth, lapping and sucking at the red liquid until the area was clean once again. Then he bit down. Her scream echoed off the empty walls and her pace stuttered. If she kept over exaggerating so loudly, someone would surely notice. He forced her to still on top of him. He reached a hand across his chest and wrapped it around the handle of the knife still stuck into the couch, and pulled.

She leaned back just in time to avoid most of the impact from his elbow crashing into her stomach, but it still connected. Marinette didn't know a thing about pregnancy, but she absolutely knew that any impact to her stomach could be detrimental to her baby. She felt nauseated just thinking about it. Her nausea churned even more as he put the knife to the skin of her stomach. He pressed down hard and started to carve around the top of her bulge. She screamed as the knife parted her skin like butter and blood began pouring out. He ignored her screams, putting his mouth to it and started lapping at her once again. She couldn't look at all the blood pouring out of her stomach, otherwise she'd pass out and be left to Luka's mercies. She keep her eyes forward as she attempted to quail her screams at the pain radiating from her stomach by placing her hands over her mouth, she noticed that they were no longer alone. _I did it. I survived until Chat arrived._

* * *

Chat froze in horror. He couldn't fathom what could cause her to have the triumphant expression currently on her face. He was certain his expression only held one thing: the intent to murder. His eyes burned with a righteous anger, as his heart rate picked up. He had _made it this time. He was able to rescue her._ A chilling smile graced his face as he recalled how close he had come to almost failing. Almost, but not. Chat thought about the moment he had realized a simple trip to the market had become something so much more sinister. And as he gazed at the back of Luka's head, just how a random rescue wasn't as random as he originally believed. His nostalgia took over as he continued to prowl quietly in the shadows, his tail swishing angrily as he let his mind focus on remembering how he got there while he planned out their attack.

 _After Adrien had taken a hot shower, he sat on their bed with a towel wrapped around his waist. His muscles felt much more relaxed now that he had let the warm water run over them. He was exhausted from traveling so much, physically and emotionally. It took a lot out of him to go back and forth between Loire and Paris, but Marinette's safety was worth it. He sighed and fell back onto the bed, letting his eyes slowly close, as he let the fan wisp cool air over his bare chest. Out of nowhere, his heart sped up and chest tightened. He found it hard to breathe and his throat felt thick. He gasped and sat up, clutching where his heart was located. Adrien frantically searched around the expansive room for anything that could be the cause of his agony, but everything remained as it always did. His heart pounded loud in his ears and he felt like he was going underwater and the rip currents were trying to tear his body apart. Sheer panic filled his head and heart, making the room grow smaller. His vision became blurry and a sudden sharp pain circled his nipple like a slow burn that kept steadily growing hotter by the minute until he couldn't take it anymore. But that wasn't the worst part. It was the heat that was pooling between his thighs at the same time, coaxing him to become aroused by an unseen force. All at once it became crystal clear what was happening. The alarm bells rang in his mind while he ran over to grab his phone from his nightstand, immediately knowing who he needed to call._

 _He flipped through his contacts, as he shrugged on a pair of boxer briefs, dark blue jeans, and a plain white deep v-neck tee. He held the phone to his ear, as panic nestled into his chest and further impeded his breathing. He stumbled and grabbed his keys from the table. "Hey, Alya! I need you to help me out with something. Can you tell me what tracking app you used to track Marinette before?" He shrugged on a black and neon green bomber jacket and quickly threw on his orange converse shoes. They were still his favorite, even though he was older._

" _Why do you need to know? Is my girl in some sort of trouble again? You know I got your back." Alya began to talk in a frenzy and he could tell she was putting on her classic mama bear voice. He knew better than to mess with Alya when she was in that state of mind._

" _I just need it to calm my nerves. You know how I worry about her…?" His voice went up at the end of his sentence, as he lied through his pearly white teeth. He didn't want to involve her in this. She had helped enough as it is and he felt like it was now his burden to handle alone._

" _Alright, I'll send over the app information, but when this is all over… you better fess up golden boy because I'm not buying what you're selling me!" She poked at the air and hung up on him to send him the information._

 _Adrien cringed and took his phone from his ear to look over what she had sent. He frantically pulled his app store up and searched for it within the site. Adrien found it with ease and nearly dropped his phone in the panic, as the burn increased on his chest and the warmth and throbbing in his cock made it harder to focus. "God, Marinette… I don't know what's happening to you, but I'm going to murder the FUCK out of whoever is behind this and I have a DEEP ROOTED speculation about who it might BE." He clenched his teeth and tapped on the glass of his phone harder to try and get the app onto his phone, while the pain and pleasure increased._

" _I SWEAR TO GOD THAT MOTHERFUCKER IS GONNA PAY!" His jaw hurt from clenching it so tight, but he didn't care. He watched the bar fill up with green before it flashed that it was done downloading onto his phone. He opened the app and put in Marinette's information and it immediately began to track her location. "Got you, motherfucker!" He laughed triumphantly and got into his car, slipped the key into the ignition, and revved the engine; before, he sped off in the location of the red ladybug on the GPS map._

 _While his driving was highly precise and in tune with the lights, traffic had other plans. The streets were packed full of cars and everyone seemed to be honking and trying to inch their way through. He slammed his hand onto the steering wheel as a new burn began to settle in along his left knuckles. He felt like he had been whipped along the back of his hand and he ripped it from the steering wheel, shaking it in the air. "This bastard doesn't know when to fucking quit."_

 _Plagg suddenly emerged from his jacket and tossed a piece of camembert into his mouth. A yawn split his mouth as he peered at the traffic and cast his gaze from the dense line-up of automobiles to Adrien's furious eyes. Adrien's expression could have set the whole city in flames and it didn't take Plagg long to understand. Plagg quickly became aware that Marinette was gone, and that only he and Tikki had the knowledge of the precious cargo she was carrying, putting her in more danger than Adrien currently realized. He knew Tikki would be mad, but he couldn't hold it back anymore. Adrien needed to find a way to get to her fast and with this traffic, it would be nearly impossible to reach her in time. "Kid, you've got to go faster! Marinette is in danger. Tikki won't be able to hold him off much longer. I know you didn't want to find out this way, but you've got a kitten to protect!"_

 _Plagg's words filled his mind and replaced all of the pain and pleasure running through his body with an intense urge to run. He didn't care how he was going to get to Marinette. He didn't even really register what Plagg had said. He had just heard the words he needed to go faster, that Tikki wouldn't be able to hold him off much longer, and the word kitten. KITTEN repeated itself in his mind like a broken record, cracking and starting over and over again. Driving his instincts to the brink as he put everything together. Marinette's sudden 'illness'. Her exhaustion that lasted for days at a time. His countless hours of researching and bribing Plagg to tell him if he was right. His annoyance at how the black cat god hadn't answered him or gave him the runaround. Adrien leaned back in the seat in a daze. He ran his hand through his hair and flashed his emerald eyes at the black kwami beside him before returning them to the traffic ahead. "What did you just say?"_

" _Which part? The 'go faster'? The 'Tikki won't be able to hold him off much longer'? Or…. the part about a kitten?" Plagg crossed his arm across his chest and examined where his claws would've been, attempting to appear unphased by the whole thing._

 _Adrien shot his hand out and grabbed the kwami in his fist. The heat and pain all centered into his hand that was busy squeezing the helpless little deity. "How about you start with the KITTEN?" His nostrils flared and he spoke through his clenched teeth, as car horns rang out around them. He was done playing around. He needed answers and he needed them now._

" _Tikki and I saw a strange phenomena the night you mated with Marinette. One that we've only seen a handful of times: a golden light orb went into Marinette's stomach while you were both sleeping. I was going to say something, but she told me not to. She wanted you to find out on your own, but you two never did. I thought by now surely one of you would have put two and two together, but I was wrong." Plagg sighed and looked at him with an irritated expression. "Humans, I swear. Especially after all the research you did. You'd think you would have just had her take a test to rule it out…"_

" _PLAGG…. NOW is NOT the time to fuck with me about this…" Adrien hissed and released the kwami from his fist. The knowledge was too much for Adrien to handle; he suddenly opened his car door and bolted out into the street. People yelled out their window at him for abandoning his car, but he could care less. Their time waiting in traffic was so trivial compared to him trying to reach Marinette and his unborn child in time. His unborn child…. The thought derailed his train of thought yet again, equal counts of worry and pride and terror and love vying for his attention. He was so happy to have his own little family, yet terrified because that meant that that two timing snake had more than just Marinette, he also had his baby. His kitten. He growled and ducked into an empty alleyway. "Plagg! Claws out!"_

 _A green light enveloped him and he pulled his baton from his back. Chat opened it to find the tracker was now tracking Tikki. He internally thanked Plagg for keeping track of his other half and in turn, tracking Marinette as well. Maybe the little pain in the ass was useful after all. It wasn't that he didn't think the world of Plagg, in fact, he probably loved the little cat more than he should by this point; it was that Plagg had the unique ability to be the most unhelpful asshole possible when it didn't benefit him in some way. He extended his baton and took off in the direction of the ladybug on the chartreuse map._

 _He sailed past buildings, scaling the ones he could and vaulting off of the ones that he couldn't as the burning along his flesh grew stronger the closer he got to her location. He growled at the thought of someone else's acidic hands on his fiancée. He kept running, letting his anguish fuel his momentum. The marker on his tracker flashed brighter and he landed on the roof of a building. He peered over the edge and took in the rundown architecture in front of him that appeared to be an old rundown building. The outside of the building was made up of beautiful white stones, now marred by trails of ivy. Years of rain had left the stones discolored. The windows along the second floor were all smashed in but the windows along the ground floor had some sort of dark curtain covering them. Odd considering the state of disrepair the rest of the building was in. They looked to be black out curtains, which only served to confirm that Chat was in the right place. He heard muffled screams that sounded like Marinette and his anger only intensified. A sharp pain shot across his stomach and he hissed out in pain as he clenched his arms around him. Wrapped his fingers along his sides. He winced and growled, realizing something had changed and now Marinette was in more danger than before. Someone was not only hurting his kitten, but was also destroying the one person that made him feel like he had a home. If he didn't have her than he didn't have anything at all. Every fatherly instinct inside of him expanded until he couldn't hold back anymore._

 _Whoever had them would pay a hefty price. One he was willing to deal without so much as a thought. The image of what he wanted to do to this person once he got his claws into them filled his mind and a dark catastrophic smirk fell to his lips. If this man wanted to play… he'd play. He'd play harder than the asshole that held Mari captive. He approached the building with purpose, trying to gauge the best way to enter without being noticed. He noticed a red blob hurtling towards him and he held his hands out just in time for Tikki to alight upon them._

" _Chat! Thank goodness, you're finally here. We don't have much time, Marinette-" Tikki's emotions rose and choked off the rest of her sentence. She swallowed hard before being able to continue. "It's bad, Chat. You need to get in there. She's holding on, but just barely. The baby-"_

" _We'll talk about the baby later, after they are both safe. You have some serious explaining to do, Tikki." Tikki hung her head as tears fell from her eyes. Chat put a claw to her chin and raised her small head up until she was looking at him through her tear filled eyes. "Hey, for now let's concentrate on getting them both out of there safely. Don't worry about the rest."_

 _Tikki zipped up to Chat's face, nuzzling it fondly before floating in front of him. Her tiny fists clenched as she looked at Chat with a burning gaze, "Let's go. Follow me." She led him around the side of the house, where a door was hanging off its hinges. He trampled weeds almost as tall as Marinette to reach the door, the pungent smell of grass and earth tickling his sensitive nose. He took a deep breath before stepping inside._

* * *

He snapped back to the present as Marinette's gaze turned glassy. He didn't know how close she was to going into shock, but he knew they had to act fast before any more unnecessary stress sent her over the edge. He halted his prowling but continued to hide in the shadows to keep a low profile, so as not to let her see the full extent of his rage. Knowing his Marinette, she would try to shoulder it as penance for her position, instead of directed towards the slimy serpent below her.

Marinette could feel the intense relief wash over her at his arrival, but she couldn't make out anything about him beyond his profile. He stepped towards her and suddenly his expression was crystal clear to her: he was horrified at what was happening. A small part of her panged at the sight of his revulsion, hoping against hope it wasn't directed at _her._ She shook the thought off and tried to signal to him without moving too much, lest Luka become aware of what was going on. But Chat was now frozen, unable to tear his eyes off of the position his finacèe was in. A gauntlet of emotions ran across his face the longer he stood there: disbelief, disgust, concern, confusion, and betrayal (that one caused her heart to clench painfully) all chased each other across his face before his expression settled into cold fury. He looked into Marinette's eyes, setting aside all emotion except his extreme hatred for the piece of shit currently feeding off of Marinette like some fucking vampire. _Right above the space his child currently inhabited._ He lifted a gloved hand, holding up three claws to signal when Marinette needed to make her move. She understood instantly, they had been a team for too many years for them to not be on the same page in this moment. She slipped her hands on either side of Luka's head, bracing them against the couch so that she could lift herself up and off of him at the right moment. Tikki silently floated forward until she was directly behind Luka, her eyes sad but determined. Marinette's expression reflected Tikki's as Chat's gloved fingers continued the countdown.

Two things happened once Chat reached zero: Marinette shoved off of Luka, shouting "TIKKI, SPOTS ON!" as she did; and Chat leapt across the room with his baton at the ready. He landed behind the couch and put the cool metal against Luka's throat, forcing his head back as he pressed it against his windpipe.

* * *

A/N: Just to clarify, the baby is Adrien's. There was no mention of a light orb when Marinette was with Luka, and the light orb is the start of Mari's pregnancy. _Anything_ to do with Luka was cleansed by Tikki. But again, there was NO baby from Luka's rape. The baby has always been Adrien's, and now both holders know. I would even venture to say that had Tikki picked up on a pregnancy when she cleansed Marinette, she would've immediately said something.


	16. Revenge Fulfilled

Well, we've finally arrived... The end is here for Luka... Or is it?

* * *

Ladybug stumbled back away from Luka, watching as his face contorted from shock to fury. For a moment she was sure she was going to die, that he would kill her before Chat could react. She lost her balance and fell, landing on the hard concrete with a squeak and a groan. Chat's baton came around Luka's throat right as a smile lit up his features. Luka licked his lips at Marinette's pain, watching as her skintight suit accented the parts he had spent so much time cutting up. He watched as her hands wrapped protectively around her stomach, cradling it as if it carried the most precious jewels in existence. He snorted out a laugh until it was cut off by the cool metal of Chat Noir's baton. "Better protect that filth's child, Red Lady. If I get my hands on you…"

Chat gripped each side of his baton and pulled it towards himself, causing Luka to choke. A sick, wet, gurgling sound emanating from his throat as he tried to fight against the pressure of the cold steel on his adam's apple. "I'd be more concerned with _my_ plans for you. I've been searching for you a _long_ time, you piece of shit." A clenched, crazed grin crossed Chat's lips as he leaned down into Luka's face. He ran his claw along the man's sharp jawline and up his cheek, delighting in the scratches left behind. "Was it a long time _searching_ or...?" His voice went up in thought as he reached up to tap his own chin. "Maybe… more like a long time I've been _dreaming_ of what I would do to you when I saw your ass." He turned his eyes back to the pinned man in front of him. "But you probably know that…"

Marinette had never seen her kitty like this. She knew she had nothing to fear out of Chat, that he was only doing this to ensure she no longer had to live in fear; but she couldn't help clutching her hands to her stomach in a subconscious attempt to protect her unborn child. Or maybe she was just trying to grasp onto the one thing that felt normal in this fucked up situation. At least, more normal than what was occuring around her. She turned her attention back to her fiancé who, at the moment, had the devil himself pinned to a couch.

"See, you hurt my girl." Chat said matter of factly, "But you didn't just hurt my MARINETTE- oh...no." He yanked back on his baton again, causing a crimson liquid to trickle down the side of Luka's lips as it crushed his windpipe further. Chat leaned down into Luka's face once again. "You hurt my kitten, you _sadistic_ FUCK." He pulled his baton back again to solidify his last word and spit it out in spite. "Why don't you tell me why Marinette is so FUCKING important to you, hm?" He tapped Luka on the side of his cheek, easing his baton from the man's neck a bit.

"She mfis miff wif-" Luka had tried to talk against the crushing pain in his throat as he fought against Chat's hold, but he found it hard to. Luka found it hard to talk to this crazy cat man, and truth be told he didn't really want to. Who did this man that he was to speak to someone of Luka's caliber like this? He'd been in worst situations before. And he saw one flaw in the cat man's blustering… and it was that this man had probably never been in this position before. Add in that he was barely keeping his rage in check, and this novice was bound to make a mistake sooner or later.

Chat slammed his baton back again, pressing Luka's head back into the couch. "You wanna try that again, motherfucker?" He sneered and angrily yanked the bar against the man's throat again. "I've got plenty of other methods I can try to get you to talk if you refuse. I'm a very creative cat. I could do this all day… but I bet you can't. So TALK!" Chat added so much pressure that Luka choked harder, as more blood spilled out of his mouth. Chat couldn't bear to look over in Marinette's direction, ashamed that she had to witness this. If he had it his way, she would be comfortably recovering in the hospital while he dealt with Luka. But, there was too much risk leaving Luka alone, even for a moment. So she would have to be strong and hold on for just a bit longer, until he ended the scum choking under his baton. They needed this closure before they could go on with their lives. He leapt over the couch and sat beside Luka.

"You think I'll talk so easily, pretty boy?" Luka coughed and spoke in a gravelly voice once Chat removed his baton from his neck, only to immediately slam it into his stomach, pinning him to the couch before he could even hope to get up. He gave a sinister laugh and peered over at the man beside him. "You think I would TELL you why that little BITCH is mine and only MINE? SHE MARRIED ME! Just because you removed my ring, doesn't mean that she isn't my property. I own her. I have since the moment I walked up to her in that club." He sneered and Chat thought about what he had said a moment. The word 'property' hit too close to home with how his father had always treated him as an object to hang his designs on.

Chat licked his lips and lightly chuckled, using the anger from his messed up childhood to fuel him once more. He was gonna make this serpent son of a bitch suffer nice and slow. He suddenly removed his baton from Luka's stomach and stood up tall. Luka had a brief moment to catch his breath as he was lulled into a false sense of security, that is, until the cat man towered up with a crazed expression. He swung his baton back before crashing it into Luka's kneecaps, rendering them useless. The loud crack of bones shattering echoed through the empty room and Luka screamed out in pain as he felt the couch dip beside him. Chat wrapped his arm around Luka's shoulders with a warm smile, like they were simply friends hanging out on the couch together, about to watch some television. But Luka knew better than to see that smile as anything but murderous. "No _KNEED_ to run from your _sticky_ situation." This man's puns would kill him before his hands ever would. Luka panted and watched the man with enough anger to kill a room full of idiots that didn't do as he had asked.

"Are you gonna make shitty ass jokes or torture me?" Luka swallowed back the metallic taste of blood and glared at the man beside him. He had enough of this game. No one put him on bottom. He was the big boss in this pond. What he said went. He had to gain an advantage somewhere, but the throbbing pain in his neck and knees made his stomach turn and his head fog.

"Oh no… I'm gonna do you one better…" Chat finally flashed a look over at Ladybug across the room. She had chosen to remain on the floor, the room spinning less if she was lower to the ground. His worried gaze tried to catalog her injuries underneath the suit, trying to gauge whether or not she would be up for what he had in store for Luka. Her eyes were filled with fear, whether for her and the kittens health or for the way he was acting now, he couldn't tell. _Don't look at me like that, Marinette… Please._ Chat shook his head and tried to clear the shame that he felt from her expression. He needed to do this. Had wanted to do this since he first heard about this man. "Bugaboo? Can you hold this here?" He sweetly spoke and slammed his baton against Luka's chest, knocking the wind out of him.

Ladybug was pulled from her whirlwind of broken thoughts by his question. She startled as every eye in the room trained on her, before slowly standing up and walking over to him with a slight limp. He watched her walk around the couch and wrap her shaky fingers around the rounded metal. _Almost done, baby. Then we'll get you to a hospital._ Chat wanted to reach out to her, to physically make sure she was okay, but he settled for trying to reach her with his thoughts and hoping his expression carried the message through to her. She watched with dull blue eyes as her fiancé raised the disgusting man's hand up in front of his face. Chat's miraculous caught the light like a starburst, nearly blinding her.

"Let's play a game, hm? I'm gonna ask you a question and you're going to answer. You don't answer and I break one of these pretty fingers that was busy touching my fiancée without her permission. GOT IT?" Chat pressed Luka's index finger back to solidify his point. Luka groaned and panted at the slow pain that radiated through his hand. "We're gonna go through everything you did to my Marinette. Starting with this finger here. You got ten. Well eight and two thumbs, but who's here to judge…" He sneered and gave Luka an expression that would put most men in their grave. "If you don't talk by then.. Well-" He chuckled and pressed Luka's finger back even further and leaned into him. "I'll just move on to your toes. Ready to _play..._?" The last word came through Chat's clenched teeth like a oath and Luka growled at the man holding him hostage.

Luka took a moment to look like he was getting ready to respond. Chat leaned forward, only to catch a faceful as Luka spit blood out in response. A raging fire burned behind Chat's emerald eyes. "How's _MY_ _Bella_ taste, _pussy_ cat?" Chat wiped the blood from his face with the back of his gloved hand, and pressed his lips together in a grimace. He rolled his eyes at the broken man on the couch. "Hm." He snapped Luka's finger back with a smirk. "You wanna try that again?" Luka's screams rang out around them.

Ladybug didn't know if she could watch and when the first snap of bone rang out with Luka's scream, she flinched and looked away with a cringe. Her stomach turned and bile rose up her throat. She wanted to clutch at her stomach, anything to soothe the churning as Luka flew forward, and that brought her back to the situation at hand with a snap. It all became too real and her grip faltered. Chat didn't bother to look up as he slammed his available hand on the baton to pin Luka back to the couch. As if Luka's efforts to escape weren't even worth his time. There was no way this fucker was getting away. Not until he was broken and bleeding on the floor, not that he could really walk or run with his knees as damaged as they were.

Luka finally saw his chance. He used Ladybug's moment of weakness to his advantage, surging forward and producing his special knife out of nowhere. He swung his knife up in an attempt to slash across Ladybug's hand, but Chat was faster. He quickly snatched it from his grasp before it could get close to Ladybug. Chat skillfully flipped it into the air before he slid the blade into the back of his belt tail.

"Now, now, now… was that very fair? Although, you don't play fair, DO YOU, _pussy_ \- cat-? Not when you've hurt Marinette not ONCE, not TWICE, but MULTIPLE times…. Now you've gone and rubbed my FUR the wrong way YET AGAIN by trying to slice at her PAW." Chat grinned and snapped back Luka's middle finger, causing it to bruise and bleed from the bone breaking through his thin skin. "Shall we continue our little adventure, hm?"

Luka growled up at him with a smoldering expression, but Chat remained unphased. Ladybug, on the other hand, wasn't doing so well. She felt like the room wouldn't quit spinning and she struggled to stay conscious. She had to stay upright for her Kitty and her unborn kitten. Ladybug knew that she couldn't give up so easily, not when Adrien was working so hard in front of her. _Just a little bit longer kitten,_ she thought to herself as she tried to regulate her breathing, _your Papa is making sure we'll always be safe._ She tried to focus in again as she heard Chat's quiet voice.

"Let's get back to the matter at _hand_. How about we start back when you drugged her in that pretty black car of yours? I'm sure you know which instance I'm talking about. The black car that probably means more to you than anything else in this god forsaken world we reluctantly live in because it makes you look important and rich? Yeah, _that one_." Chat bent back Luka's ring finger with ease. "Why'd you drug her in the first place? Is your dick so small that you felt like she had to be unconscious in order to enjoy it?" He mentally laughed at his words and watched Luka squirm.

"Why don't you ask her? Ask _her_ how she moaned for me every last moment she let me pound into her tight, _wet,_ pussy. Ask _her_ how she went with me willingly so she could forget about _you_. Ask _her_ how she sucked my dick for the sole reason of pleasing me. _Then_ come back and say that shit to me." Luka taunted Chat with the mental pictures of Marinette doing all of those things to him and enjoying it. Chat's eyes narrowed but before he could act on his rage, Ladybug gained the strength to jam the baton back into his chest harder. Chat's lips parted in shock at the look on her face. Disgust and shame warred with her obvious discomfort and pain. Her resolve never wavered however. She was sick of Luka's games, sick of his lies, and sick of him stalling and beating around the bush in the conversation. She just wanted him to give up any information he had so that her and Chat can leave. She leveled her gaze at Chat, silently reassuring him that he was the only one for her. He suddenly smiled and pressed further, feeling validated now that he was being backed up by the love of his life.

"Ever consider that she could have been faking it to make you feel better about yourself?" Chat smirked with a dark glint in his eye and pushed Luka's finger back in a sudden jarring motion, causing the snap to ring out around them and blood to spurt from the line of the break.

Luka hissed with a wince and swallowed hard. "Nah… she wouldn't have to fake it. I'm too good with my mouth and dick, you mangy alley cat. And even if she was 'faking it', she still chose _me_ over _you_. Sorry not sorry that she doesn't scream your name as loudly or often as she does mine." His smile was feral, all bloodstained teeth and malice.

Chat growled and grabbed Luka's face with his clawed finger tips, turning his face towards his. "You think using your sick pathetic magic to get women to do what you want for your pathetic small miniscule cock is enough to make me jealous? You're stupid as well as a sick and twisted BASTARD." Chat spit in his face and pressed his claws into his soft flesh, causing red drops to bubble up beneath his sharp points.

"Are we here to talk about my _Bella_ or my dick?" Luka rolled his eyes and stared into Chat's toxic green cat eyes through his dark mask. He just wanted to get it over with. Wanted to end this shit and move on. He didn't have time for this idle chit chat.

"How about BOTH considering it was just buried inside my girl!" Chat snapped his pinky back and Luka gasped with a deep rooted growl. "You know what? I'm getting bored of playing with my food and that's a _damn_ shame. Considering I'm a cat and all. You must be so dull that I can't even find the amusement in torturing you."

" _Really_ guys, we're gonna do this _NOW?_ You both seriously have to get into this ridiculous fucking pissing contest _right now?_ YOU," she pointed her finger at Luka, whose jaw was hanging open, "YOU couldn't pick up women without all your money and drugs so _shut the fuck up and go to hell._ " Chat's smirk was shortly lived as she rounded on him, her finger jabbing into his chest as she drove her point home, "and YOU. You're seriously so threatened by this pathetic excuse for a dick that you feel the need to mark your territory instead of finishing the damn job so we can get our kitten checked out-" Ladybug cut her tirade short as she felt herself phasing in and out of consciousness again. The waves of pain were causing her extremities to go numb, taking her under it's dark currents and drowning her. Chat grabbed her, soundly kissing her with pride before he turned back to the business at hand. She shook her head, _grown ass men acting like jealous teenagers._ The snap of another finger brought her back to the surface. She pulled the baton back towards herself and slid it up his slender neck, choking him again.

"So, let's try something new, shall we?" Chat got up and brought a table over towards Luka on the couch. It was a small round bistro table that would look so pretty on a balcony. Chat sat back down and slammed Luka's hand onto the glass top. He whipped Luka's knife from his belt and leaned into him. "You wanna talk before I jam this blade into your hand? I'm giving you a chance here. Answer my question: _Why, Marinette_?"

Luka pressed his lips together in a thin line and didn't say a word. Chat licked his lips and wiped the back of his hand that was holding the blade beneath his nose and peered at the man through his drenched bangs. "TALK!" Chat pressed Luka's hand into the table more, causing all of the broken bones to crack more under the pressure of his weight.

"Why would I tell you anything?" Luka growled and spit at him again, pushing against Ladybug's hold. She held steady, but Chat noticed that she was losing her grip and her eyes were becoming heavier with each shallow breath. He was running out of time. He needed to get Marinette and the kitten to a hospital before any serious damage set that couldn't be undone. His time was dwindling fast.

"I don't have time for this shit." Chat slammed the blade into the back of Luka's hand and he screamed out. "TELL ME!" He slowly spun the blade, causing blood to pool beneath his palm and off the edge of the small table. "WHO HIRED YOUR ASS? I KNOW YOU DIDN'T DO THIS FOR YOUR OWN PLEASURE!"

Luka coughed and sputtered as the man in black leather slowly turned the blade. He had never thought this would happen. That he would end up being victim to his own blade. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

"You think that you can get me to talk by using my own blade?" Luka chuckled at him for being so naive. Nothing would make him talk. He could be strung up by his neck and not utter so much as a sound. This cat had nothing on any of the men that he usually ran with.

"I was kind of thinking that you'd say that." Chat smirked and took the blade out of Luka's hand. He whipped the blade through the air, causing blood to fly off the blade before he slid it between Luka's soft lips. Chat slowly slid it along his bottom lip until it caught the corner. "You keep smiling and I'll make it a permanent feature on your face."

Ladybug was shocked to hear those words come from his mouth. She knew Adrien was gone and had been replaced with someone she didn't recognize, but she understood why. She would be furious too if she had found him this way. She looked away as she heard Luka laugh and warm blood sprayed across her knuckles. The metallic scent made her sick and she instantly felt like she was going to throw up. Her stomach turned over and she convulsed, emptying her stomach onto Luka's pretty silk shirt.

"Fuck!" Luka growled and became more pissed off as the sour smell invaded his nostrils. Of all the times for him to get his shirt ruined more it had to be that. He knew how to get out blood, but now he had vomit to worry about. He glared up at Marinette and spoke through clenched teeth. "You ruined my favorite shirt, _bella._ "

Ladybug felt like she was going to pass out and Chat quickly grabbed the vibrator that Luka had used on his Lady. The very thought and feel of it's smooth texture made him sick. How it was crusted with Marinette's sex and how it wasn't from him. Hatred filled his bones and a renewed energy boiled up within him.

He slammed his steel toed boot down between Luka's thighs and leaned into him. "You have my boot between your thighs and all you can fucking think about is your DAMN expensive shirt?" Chat slid the point of the knife beneath Luka's chin and let it nick his flesh. "I'd be worrying about your manhood right now and not what you're wearing. Unless you plan on walking the red carpet after this, but… I'd say you're gonna be mighty late." He curled his lips into a crooked smirk and slashed his blade through Luka's shirt, ruining it further. "Now what's the little purrincess going to wear to the ball?"

Luka let a low rumble go through his chest while Chat dangled the vibrator before his face. "So, I can think of the perfect place for this to go. I bet my lady can too." He winked at Marinette. "And seeing as how I can't think of a better way to make you talk with that pretty mouth of yours... too pretty for something like this. Too pretty to taste m'Lady again… I'll get mighty… CREATIVE for you." He pressed his boot further into Luka's groin, causing the other man to hiss at the pain.

Chat removed his boot and left to grab a heavy chain. Ladybug removed Chat's baton from Luka and Chat picked him up by his shirt and flung him around to face the couch. He took the chain and fastened Luka's hands behind his back and threw Luka's blade into the air before he caught it by the handle. He slid the blade up the inside of Luka's thigh till the cool blade grazed the sensitive skin between the man's legs. "You're not gonna talk? I'll make you sing a sweet melody for me. M'Lady…?" Chat looked up at her and caught her shocked expression. "Remember how I told you that one day I would sing for you? Well today's not the day, but I promise that his voice will suffice for now." He smirked and she swallowed hard as she put it all together. Her expression became one of amusement and she giggled behind her hand. "Care to do the honors, Bugaboo?" He held the vibrator out to her and she gathered the last reserves of her strength and took it.

"With GREAT pleasure, Kitty." Ladybug walked around the couch and passed him his baton, taking the egg shaped vibrator in her fingers. She positioned herself in place, spreading his ass cheeks with her hands.

"Last chance to talk… Luk-Ass." Chat held his baton up to the light and watched it shine like it was nothing. He didn't feel anymore. His emotions had become numb with hatred and pain. The past weeks of fear and hiding had prepared him for this very moment.

"I won't tell you!" Luka burst out the words and screamed as Ladybug jammed the vibrator up his ass and turned the dial to full blast. Luka's cock grew hard and precum spilled from the tip. He felt a mixture of pleasure and pain and he drank it in like a rich liquor. He couldn't help it, he lived for this shit.

"That's a shame… I was hoping that would be enough to make you squeal." Chat sighed and saw Ladybug sway from the corner of his eye. She had begun to sweat more and he could see her trembling. Her eyes began to flutter and her breathing sped up. The room began to spin around her as her vision blurred. "Shit.." He whispered under his breath. He could see the moment the light went out of her eyes and was already reaching for her as he watched her fall in slow motion. He gently caught her before she could hit the hard concrete floor, passing a hand over her stomach, savoring his first feeling of the life inside of her. He set her down on a chair nearby and walked back to Luka. "sorry, Luk-ass. I need to take my Lady to the hospital, so we're gonna have to wrap things up here. But before you meet your end, I want you to look me in the eye…" He gripped Luka's chin and yanked his head to turn and look him in the eye. "Good boy."

Luka peered up into Chat's glowing eyes and his shook back in forth. They flew open wide as the cool metal of Chat's baton pressed against his ass. He smirked down at him. "Usually I would take you out to a nice dinner first. Maybe seduce you a bit. Dance with you. Feel up your body. Make you feel good. Like you're on top of world. Maybe drug you a bit. Sound familiar? So, you wanna tell me why Marinette before I forget to wine and dine you and we just skip to the after party instead?" Chat pressed Luka's blade between the helpless man's teeth, letting it knick the edges of his mouth.

"The oldm manm." Luka mumbled past the blade in a rush, as he felt the baton add pressure and he tried to not focus on it. He had to admit there was something arousing about this whole thing. His cock flexed in response and Chat growled as he felt his body heat up with anger for this dick in front of him.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you through your pretty blade and my stick up your ASS!" Chat hissed through his teeth and smiled with a wide grin. He needed to know who had made this all happen. Who else could he hunt down for this shit show?

"I could talk morf if you tookmf that out of my mouf." Luka tried to speak around the sharp sides of his blade, but it was difficult. Chat slid his baton in a bit further, causing Luka to moan deep in his chest. Vomit sneaked up Chat's throat, but he swallowed it back down. This motherfucker was enjoying it and it made him sick.

"I don't have time for this." Chat suddenly extended his baton and it pushed way up Luka's ass, shoving the vibrator up into his digestive tract. Luka screamed out and blood ran down along the cool metal of his weapon. "Sing for me!" Chat swiftly ripped the blade from Luka's mouth, cutting the slices of red deeper and splitting his mouth wider in a frayed line.

"IT WAS THE OLD MAN! AN OLD MAN HIRED ME TO DO IT! I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE! I SWEAR! JUST STOP! JUST MAKE IT STOP!" Luka finally broke and sobbed out the words from his lips. He couldn't do it anymore. Couldn't take it anymore. He had held out this long, but something about this man made him weak. He was powerless against him and it irritated him to no end, but he was pinned and couldn't get away.

"HOW DOES HE CONTACT YOU?" Chat twisted his baton and made Luka scream out. Luka panted and tried to catch his breath, failing miserably at it.

"HE- HE-UM… IN PERSON! HE MEETS ME IN PERSON! I KNOW NOTHING ELSE MAN, JUST, JUST STOP. Let's settle this like the business men we are. I- I got euros. Millions of them. Whatever you need. I'm your man." Luka pleaded for his life and wiggled his hips, trying to get some type of comfort even though it was impossible.

"I don't want your pity change… and I certainly don't _need_ it." The thought of money disgusted him. His father bought enough people to make Adrien sick. "What's his NAME?" Chat turned the baton once again and slid it in further. He needed to know who this person was and he wasn't stopping until it was uttered from Luk-Ass's mouth.

Luka gasped and clenched his fists in the binds. His nails bit into his palms and more blood pooled at the surface. "I DON'T KNOW HIS NAME. HE NEVER GAVE IT. TOO WELL KNOWN, I GUESS." He tried to keep himself conscious. He wasn't here to lose and he was going to use all of his cards to survive.

"What's he LOOK like then? Surely you can remember that much!" Chat yelled out and spit the words at Luka as he pushed into him further. His baton was going further than he thought was humanly possible.

"Tall- lanky- broad shoulders- blonde hair that is greying at the edges- black framed glasses- red and white striped cravat framed in a white suit coat with red slacks." Luka choked on his words and Chat let the words spin in his mind. He took in the description and felt like he was going to black out. He had never expected it to be that person. Never in his twenty-one years would he have even thought that HE would do such a thing. A new anger filled him. An anger for not only Luka, but for the man that was behind it. The man that had made his life a living hell for as long as he could remember.

Chat yanked his baton from Luka's ass and blood spilled onto the couch cushion. "Plagg! Claws IN!" A green light took him over and he suddenly flipped Luka over onto his back. Luka screamed out as his ass hit the broken in cushion. He held him by the pieces of his torn shirt and slammed the man into the back of the couch. "Why the FUCK did MY FATHER hire you? Better talk before I jam this pretty knife of yours into your tiny heart and TWIST it _REALLLLL_ slow _!"_ Adrien sneered and leveled his green eyes with Luka's pretty blue ones.

"He was threatened that she would steal his limelight! He didn't want her distracting you or being a contender against him in the fashion industry! She was shielding you from your fathers control, he wanted her eliminated! He didn't want you to realize your powers! That you both were better together than apart because your powers-" Luka screamed out, true panic finally soaking through his body. He had given every bit of information he had on the old man, but he knew it wouldn't be enough to save him. He distantly heard Adrien's growls as he worked himself back into a frenzy. He couldn't believe his father would go to this extent and it only fueled his rage like gasoline on a fire.

"Fuck this and FUCK YOU!" Adrien roared as he pulled the knife from his back pocket, sliced it through Luka's exposed flaccid dick and slammed it into the screaming man's chest. He twisted it slow and watched Luka's gaze go to the ceiling, as he convulsed against the back of the couch. Blood bubbling from his lips, as a sweet gurgling sound came from his vocal cords. It was like a fine tuned music and Adrien lavished in it. He kicked himself away from the couch and threw the blade across the ground before walking over to Ladybug and picked her up. She was limp and when Tikki dropped her transformation, Adrien took in her injuries.

Tears fell from his eyes and he let a sob come out from between his lips, as he saw dried blood along her small bump. "Why? Why would my father do this?" His knees nearly gave out from beneath him and Plagg and Tikki zipped up beside him to keep him focused.

"She needs help. We'll figure this all out. Just focus on getting her to safety. You're not safe until you get her to a medical professional." Tikki tried to talk reason into him. She took in his fragile state and how he wasn't really hearing anything she had to say. "Plagg…." Tikki begged with her voice and eyes for the little God of chaos to do something, anything.

"You have to give me a moment. I'm still trying to get over what just happened." Plagg felt disgusted and like he needed to take a bath. He had never felt more tainted than he did now. His fur was coated in blood and it stuck together in mats. He wiggled his arms, trying to get them clean. He hated being dirty and hated baths even more. "I mean I'm the god of chaos and destruction. I'm all for sin, but I'd appreciate it if I wasn't a part of being up some asshole."

"Oh suck it up, Kitty. You've been through far worse events in our lifetime!" Tikki rolled her eyes and threw a piece of cheese at him with a groan before he forced himself into the ring on Adrien's finger. A neon green light covered Adrien again and he suddenly shot back to the reality of the situation. Marinette needed help and she needed it fast. He pulled his baton from his back and extended it. He held Marinette's limp body close to his heart, leaning his head down to press a kiss on her bloody forehead before whispering, "Hang on, lovebugs. I got you."

* * *

Shout out to kclinda for correcting our French in a previous chapter, we try to be a correct as possible but sometimes we miss things! Thank you for pointing it out and giving us the proper form - we appreciate it greatly!


	17. Relief

Sorry for the wait! A/C broke again and it was 98 degrees in our house so we cut off all electronics. I'll be moving soon but I promise I'll make sure this continues to get updated in a timely manner. Now, on to Chat-ter 17!

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Chat flew from building to building, dividing his attention between the GPS on his baton that was currently leading him to the _Hospital De L'ermitage_ in the northeastern part of the city, and his fiancée's limp body. His body felt like it was on autopilot as he swung over another building. _Of course,_ he mused to himself, _that could be Plagg's doing._ One never knew when the little black cat would decide to lend a helping paw. His mind was a different story. It felt like he couldn't grasp on to any one thought, they were racing around his skull far too quickly. He could only think about the woman cradled to his chest. His kitten. _So. Much. Blood._ Familiar bruises along her skin, caused by the disgusting creature he had left to bleed out back in that building. His father. Marinette. Marinette and Luka. Her screaming Luka's name while Adrien watched. Him and Marinette by the fireplace. The golden orb Plagg spoke of. His kitten. His thoughts continued to race as his body raced to the hospital.

Getting closer, he dropped down to street level and detransformed. It would be easier to walk in as Adrien than have to explain who Chat was, or more importantly, _what_ Chat was. Exhaustion hit Adrien like a ton of bricks as soon as the power released and he stumbled. Taking care to make sure Marinette wasn't jostled too much, he ran towards the automatic doors leading in to the ER, trying to outrun his own exhaustion and their problems. Unfortunately, his bad luck chose that moment to rear its ugly head. As he stepped into the cool air of the waiting room, the world dimmed and he blacked out.

When Marinette came to, the first thing she felt was a thick warm blanket tucked all the way up to her chin. The warmth beckoned to her, telling her to drift back asleep, that there was no reason to wake up, no need to open her eyes. Her arms shifted the blanket as she sought a different position. Her body ached, like she had been drug across several streets. She took a deep breath and tried to lift her arm out of the blanket.

"Wha…?" her throat scraped as she tried to speak. She heard shifting to her right and suddenly Marinette's eyes snapped fully open. A bright light directly above her forced her eyes shut again immediately and she started to thrash underneath her blanket. _It was a dream_ , she thought as tears began to sting her eyes, _Chat didn't make it on time. I must've passed out and dreamt the whole rescue up. That means I'm still with Luka, at his mercy. Oh god, what has he done to me while I was unconscious? What-_

"Mari! Marinette! Girl, it's just me! Alya!" Alya's frantic whisper shouts finally filtered through Marinette's panicking, taking all of her energy along with it.

"Alya? The lights…" Marinette croaked, hoping Alya understood what she was trying to say. Merciful semi-darkness greeted Mari when she opened her eyes after another moment or two. "Thanks. C- can you sit me up? How did I get here?" Mari gratefully accepted a cup full of ice water with a bendy straw in it, sipping the refreshing liquid only to immediately feel nauseated again. She remembered a moment too late that water no longer agreed with her body since she got pregnant. However, it seemed her body didn't have anything to throw up as nothing happened beyond the nauseous feeling.

"Don't make that face, girl! Water is good for you! And your baby." Alya's voice trailed off as she got done adjusting Mari's hospital bed to a sitting position, plunging them both into an awkward silence. After a beat, Alya sighed before continuing, "Adrien brought you here. He collapsed as soon as you both got in the door, however." Alya looked away.

"Oh my god! Is he going to be okay? Why isn't he in here with me? _Tell me!_ " Marinette started to panic again as her eyes ran across the room. She was in a hospital bed in the middle of the ICU room, with a hard plastic chair pulled up to it on the left side. The right side had an uncomfortable looking recliner with a messed up collection of sheets and a single pillow in it. Alya was perched on the edge of the recliner, looking at Marinette through worried eyes. Mari's eyes continued their sweep of the room, noticing a large window in the corner. It looked like weak morning light was filtering through it, but the cloud cover made it impossible to tell for sure. A closed door, more than likely leading to a bathroom, was directly opposite the foot of her bed. The entire left side of the wall was glass, allowing Mari to view the massive circular desk situated in the middle of the ICU floor. Nurses and doctors bustled back and forth, families with worried expressions passing by every so often. Looking away with a lump in her throat, she glanced down to see a number of wires and tubes disappearing underneath her blanket. Taking a deep breath, she removed her hands from under the blanket and pushed it down to her knees.

Alya was unable to control the gasp that slipped out of her mouth, a hand flying up to cover it as she saw the extent of Mari's injuries for the first time. Or, rather, saw just how many bandages were covering Marinette's petite body. She had a large square bandage over her right cheek, but Alya had seen that one since the blanket hadn't been covering it to begin with. Marinette had bruising all along her neck, most of them just turning purple. A large bandage peeked out of the top of her hospital gown. Her left hand was completely covered in a large bandage, she flexed it but could only move the tips of her fingers. Bruises randomly trailed down her arms.

"Alya…. Please close the curtain. I- I need to see something. I need to check on…" Mari stopped talking as her best friend walked over to the curtain and pulled it across the wall of glass to give them some semblance of privacy.

Marinette struggled to get the hospital gown off of her, her whole body aching and protesting the movement. Alya gently reached behind her and untied the strings keeping Marinette's modesty. She let the gown fall down her arms keeping her gaze averted from Alya so she wouldn't see the horror. She was terrified to see all the bandages over her baby bump. She tried to smooth her hand over it, but it was covered in bandages as well. Looking up into Alya's eyes, she asked the question she was both terrified and excited to know the answer to, "Is the baby okay?"

Alya's eyes searched hers, although Marinette couldn't tell what she was looking for. She found it, whatever _it_ was, because her face broke out into a sunny smile as she uttered the four words that set Mari free, "The baby's just fine."

Marinette choked back a sob as she rubbed her non bandaged hand across her stomach, seeking the reassurance that her bump was still there and their kitten still safely nestled inside of it. "Tell me what happened to Ch- Adrien. Where is he?" Mari looked at Alya expectantly.

"He's on a different floor. He didn't have any physical injuries, the doctors think he just pushed himself too hard getting to you. Nino is down there with him now. I think they are going to release him later on today. You, on the other hand, are going to have to stay in until the doctors think you're out of the danger zone. Whatever happened to you that caused that long cut across the top of your stomach, it sent you into early labor. The doctors managed to stop the labor and stitch up the wound, but they're gonna have questions you'll have to answer before they let Adrien back in. I guess it's just a precaution? In case Adrien was the one that did this to you?" Alya shrugged her shoulders. "Let me just call Nino and let him know you're awake, and then you can start telling me about all of this." She gestured to all of the bandages before moving away from Mari's bed.

Marinette could hear her murmuring into her phone, but she tried to block it out as she concentrated on the positives. The baby was fine. Luka would never again be a threat to their family again. Adrien was okay. Despite being banged up, _she_ was okay. Small mercies.

"Okay, girl, spill. What the fuck happened to you and why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? Is it Luka's?" Alya rambled on in her nervousness and Marinette waited for her to trail off before she started in on how Luka had tracked Adrien to the train station and then followed him home. She made it all the way up to her second rape before she started crying again. She was totally inconsolable for a while, until Alya finally got her talking about the baby and how they knew it was Adrien's. Marinette's heart ached for Adrien's warm embrace, for his soft reassurances that everything was going to be okay. Just as Marinette started to describe their home in Loire, a commotion outside caused Alya to stand protectively between Marinette and the wall of glass that was still covered by the curtain. Fearing the worst, Marinette's heart rate kicked up, causing the machine to start beeping faster. Images of Luka coming back covered in blood and seeking revenge filled her mind.

The door to her room burst open, the curtains swinging to the side to reveal a half crazed Adrien. Nino was a step behind him, as was the floor security guard. Marinette held out her arms at the same time Adrien started to sob. She made room for Adrien to climb into the narrow bed with her, combing through his soft golden locks while he continued to weep into her chest. He tightened his grip around Marinette, thanking every deity known to man that his fiancée and kitten were going to be okay.

"We're gonna have a kitten, Mari! You and me, we're gonna have a family. A family…." Adrien continued to hold on to Marinette like his life depended on it. He feathered kisses all along her stomach, cooing at her bump and tracing it with his fingers. The light touches caused goosebumps all along her arms. He finally pulled back to look into her eyes. His hand came up to cup her cheek and he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. He rested his forehead against hers, still sniffling. "So- sorry about t- that," he hiccupped, "I was just s- so worried about you and the kitten."

"Chaton. We're fine, everything's gonna be okay now." She rubbed circles in his back to sooth him, saturating her words with all the love she felt for the ridiculous cat in front of her.

"Actually…." Alya's voice was hesitant. "We still need to know what happened to Mari. All we know is Adrien showed up at the hospital covered in what we can assume to be your blood, with you half dead in his arms. The police are going to have questions, the staff have already alerted them to your presence." She walked closer to the bed, making a motion to Nino to get rid of the security guard still hovering in the doorway. "I'd like to know what story you are going with before the authorities get here. Just in case they question me or Nino. I assume that Luka was behind this. Are you going to tell them that?" she talked softer the closer she got to the hospital bed.

Adrien and Marinette broke apart, but only far enough for Adrien to wrap his arms protectively around Mari. She rested her head against his shoulder as she willed the tears back. There would be time to fall apart later. For right now, they had to figure out a plan before Adrien went to jail for a psychopath's murder.

"Yes, it was the blue haired bastard and yes I killed him. He kidnapped Mari and tortured her before raping her _again_. What the hell else was I supposed to do? He needed to die!" Adrien's voice was low and dangerous, daring Alya to disagree with him.

"Kitty, this is Alya, she isn't against us. She's on our side. Calm down. Right?" Marinette intertwined her fingers with Adrien's, which were resting on her bump. She raised her eyebrows in apology at Alya, but she waved it off.

"I can't help it, my Lady. When I think of what could've happened if I hadn't gotten there when I did…." Adrien rubbed his nose along Marinette's jaw, nuzzling her as he spoke. "He needed to die."

"No one is arguing that point, Adrien. What I want to know is, what will you say to the police?" Alya sat down in the plastic chair just as Nino came back in the door, shutting it and pulling the curtain back across for privacy. "You probably don't have very much longer before they arrive."

"What should we do? Do we tell them everything? Do we lie our asses off and hope they don't snoop any further into it?" Marinette started to panic, things were happening too fast now. She was raised to believe you should always tell the truth, yet she couldn't just hand Adrien over to the whims of the law. They wouldn't understand why he did it, they wouldn't understand how bad of a person Luka was, and how many lives they had saved by killing him. They needed to come up with something, and fast.

"I have an idea." Every eye turned towards Nino, who was standing behind Alya's chair silently up until now. He quailed slightly at the looks of hope on each of the faces staring at him, but he rallied, clearing his throat before he continued. "Tell them that Mari went to the market and got mugged. You got worried about her when she didn't come back on time, went out to look for her, found her and brought her here." He shrugged and rubbed the back of his head.

Mari could see a million different things wrong with it, loopholes that could be exploited, but they were out of time. "It's gonna have to do. I'll say that a man wearing a black mask tried to grab my basket that had my wallet, phone, and keys in it. When I refused to give it up, he brandished a knife and started taking swipes at me. A scuffle ensued, and I was knocked out. I came to in here." She looked over at Adrien expectantly, waiting for him to pick up the narrative.

"I came along a little later, looking for you, only to find you knocked out and shoved behind some bushes. We can say it happened in that little park off of your route to the market. Anyways, I found you bleeding and unconscious and brought you straight here on foot. Not thinking. I can blame adrenaline for that. Since I came afterwards, I won't have to give descriptions of the assailant. But you will have to think of some identifiers to give them something to go on, Bugaboo." Adrien lightly ran the back of his hand against her bandaged cheek. He choked, feeling the press of tears yet again but pushing them back. "I'm _so_ so-"

"Don't you dare apologize again, Chaton." Marinette placed a finger against his lips. When he opened his lips again, she shook her head. "Kiss me. Instead of apologizing for saving my life, for saving our kitten's life, just kiss me like it means something to you."

Adrien smiled. "You and our kitten mean _everything_ to me. I can certainly do that, my Lady." He brushed his lips over hers gently.

The door burst open right as he was about to deepen the kiss. Alya and Nino stood up protectively, and Adrien spun around and angled himself to where Marinette was hidden behind his broad shoulders. Two police officers, the security guard, and a doctor all filed into the room. The officers took in the way everyone was angled to shield Marinette with narrowed eyes.

"Sir, please step away from the woman." The officer rested a hand on his gun. "The rest of you please leave the room. We need to speak with the woman alone."

"Please, Adrien. It'll be alright. Let's just get this over with and move on with our lives." Marinette murmured to the back of Adrien's head, running her hand in circles on his back.

Adrien was reluctant to let Marinette out of his sight, but he obeyed her request anyway. If it meant them being one step closer to being back home, he supposed he could play nicely.

Adrien, Nino and Alya waited in the ICU waiting room for nearly an hour before the police officers finally emerged. One of the officers had followed them out when they were ordered from the room to take Adrien's statement. Alya and Nino had only come because Marinette had listed Alya as an emergency contact at some point when they were younger and she ended up in the hospital. They didn't know anything beyond what the nurses had told them so they weren't questioned. It seemed like the officers were trying to find something to pin on Adrien, but finally gave up once they couldn't find any loopholes in their stories. Since it was Chat that tortured Luka, not Adrien, there wasn't even any of Luka's DNA on Adrien. Now the only worry would be if they insisted on doing a rape kit on Marinette. Adrien shot up as the two officers approached. They exchanged a few more words, gave Adrien their business cards with a case number written on it and bid them goodbye. Unfortunately, they were immediately followed by the doctor. He beckoned them to follow him back to Marinette's room with a grim look on his face. They exchanged looks before following him in silence. Adrien's mind whirled a hundred miles a minute, each thought more and more dire. Nino clapped a hand on his back as if he could tell what was going through his best friend's mind.

Adrien immediately went over to Marinette as soon as they walked in the room. She greeted him with open arms that were slightly trembling. He smoothed a hand over her hair, pressing a kiss to it.

"It was awful. Th- they thought I was lying…" Marinette sobbed into Adrien's chest as he held her and cursed the officers for upsetting her. She had been through enough, she didn't need the people that were supposed to be on her side upsetting her. He tilted her face up to his and pressed their foreheads together.

"It'll be okay, Bugaboo. They were just doing their job. You're the only one that knows what really happened, they can't take that away from you. They're gone now, it's done. You just concentrate on healing and growing our kitten." He continued to smooth her hair and press kisses to her forehead.

The doctor cleared his throat, not looking at Marinette or Adrien. He dimmed the lights and turned on the x-ray screens. He popped two films on it before turning around and facing the room. "Miss Dupain-Cheng, do you still refuse to let us do a rape kit?" His stiff posture and stern expression radiated his disapproval, but he couldn't force her to take one, either.

"That won't be necessary." Marinette's voice was tired but firm. She had already refused twice while the officers were in the room. She had been pressured by them to take one, but she knew the moment Luka's DNA came back their story would fall apart. Especially since he was currently dead in an abandoned building. No, it was safer just to refuse it. After all, she was already pregnant, and Tikki could take care of anything else.

"Let's review your injuries." He pointed at the film closest to himself. "This is your left hand. You can see the deep cuts, indicated by these dark lines here," he pointed, "and here. You had hairline fractures across three of your fingers." He stepped over to the second film. "This is your lower abdomen and pelvic region. You have multiple tears in your vaginal walls, as well as massive damage to your abdomen from the knife wound." He stepped away from the films, and Marinette couldn't help but picture a stern professor slapping a ruler. "You also have damage to the nerves surrounding your left areola from what appear to be more knife wounds. You have a bite mark in that area as well, which is starting to get infected. You have another shallow cut across your stomach, deep scratches on either side of your abdomen, a cut across the area where your heart is You have deep scratches on both sides of your abdomen, a cut between your breasts, your right cheek is severely swollen, your right wrist has a scissor shaped gash along it, your jaw was overextended, and various other parts of your body are littered with bruises. You also told the officers that you were elbowed in the stomach as well." He ticked off each injury, ignoring the gasps from Nino and Alya and the murderous glare from Adrien. "Because of that alone, I would like to do a sonogram. Just to make sure the fetus is still doing as well as can be expected. As I understand it, you didn't even know you were pregnant until today, is that correct?"

Marinette flushed. "I didn't. I thought I was just exhausted from moving out from the city and stressed out about… Other things…" She didn't appreciate the way the doctor was speaking to her. It felt like he was implying she was an idiot for not knowing she was pregnant. Tears began to leak out of her eyes, she furiously swiped at them not meeting the doctors eyes.

Adrien, however, had no problem looking the doctor in the face with an openly hostile expression. _How dare he make Mari cry after all she's been through. I studied fucking quantum mechanics and I didn't know for sure she was pregnant._ Adrien angrily thought to himself. Just as he was about to open his mouth and give the doctor a piece of his mind, the doctor held his hands up.

"It is completely normal for women in their first pregnancy to not notice it right away. Especially when life events otherwise occupy your attention. You weren't trying to get pregnant either, correct?" The doctor attempted to make his voice softer. He approached the side of the bed her fiance wasn't occupying to make it seem less like he was lecturing her.

"No, we weren't. But we're happy it turned out this way, we wouldn't have it any other way." Adrien jumped in before she could answer.

"Of course." The doctor nodded. "I would like to do an ultrasound so we can pinpoint how far along you are and when your due date is. I would also like to make sure there was no damage to the baby from that elbow jab. Is that okay?"

"We would get to hear our baby's heartbeat?" Marinette looked at Adrien with wide, hopeful eyes.

"That's right. If you'll excuse me, I'll go put in the order for the sonogram. Someone will be back in shortly." The doctor went over to the sink to wash his hands.

"Do you know when she will be able to go home?" There was no mistaking the wishful tone in Adrien's voice.

"As long as everything checks out on the sonogram, and her cuts continue to heal nicely, she should be out in a couple of days. We need to make sure her pain is under control and that labor doesn't start again as well. I'm sure you both are ready to get home and put this behind you, we just have to make sure she's out of danger before you do. I'll come check in on you again here in a little bit, Marinette." The doctor lifted his hand as a departing gesture before opening the door and walking out of the room.

Marinette slumped back down on the hospital bed, her eyes starting to close. It felt like _days_ since Luka's attack, instead of just mere hours. She vaguely heard Alya and Nino saying their goodbyes to Adrien a few minutes later, sleep already threatening to take her over. After another few moments of silence, in which she struggled to stay awake now that it was just her and Adrien, she felt the bed dip as Adrien sat beside her.

"Go to sleep, love. I'll wake you when the ultrasound technician arrives. You must be exhausted." Adrien's voice was soothing as he brushed her hair back from her face.

"Mmmm… wanna spend time with you though…" Marinette tried to stay awake, but the lull of sleep was too powerful. She heard Adrien's laugh and then the darkness rushed up to greet her.

What felt like a few seconds later, but in reality was more like an hour or so later, Marinette felt Adrien slightly shaking her. "The ultrasound tech is here, Mari. I'm gonna sit your bed up a little."

"Actually, her lying flat is just fine. Just roll onto your back, dear. I'm going to put some of this gel all over your belly. It's going to be cold." The tech warned her as she shifted to lay on her back. The technician was an older lady who reminded her of Louise. She had a similar build and mannerisms, and something about her facial features just...

"Do you have a sister named Louise?" Mari asked without thinking as the tech smeared the gel over her bump. "Jeez, you weren't kidding. This is freezing."

The tech laughed and replied, "As a matter of fact I do. I take it you two have met? My name is Alice."

"She's a good friend of mine. She was the first person to reach out to me when I visited the market near our house for the first time. She's so sweet." Marinette reached out to take Adrien's hand as Alice got the wand ready.

"Sounds just like Louise. Okay, here we go!" Alice put the wand on Marinette's belly, moving it this way and that. Every now and then she stopped and clicked a few buttons, taking what looked like snapshots. "Okay, now we get to hear the little one's heart beat…" She tapped a few more buttons and suddenly a rapid _thumpthumpthump_ filled the room. Marinette's eyes misted over as Adrien looked at the screen in wonder.

"Our kitten… Mari, that's our kitten!" Adrien whooped with joy, squeezing Marinette's hand. She squeezed back, unable to talk over the lump in her throat. Their baby had made it through the ordeal with Luka. They both listened to the heartbeat in silence, words deserting them.

"Did you want to record the heartbeat? If you do, now's the time." Alice waited for a moment before turning around.

"We uhhhh. We don't have our phones. Mari's was lost when the attack happened and I didn't have mine when I went out looking for her. So, we'll have to wait until next time…" Adrien explained in a sad voice.

"Well, let me see what i can do. Hang on just a second." Alice walked from the room, leaving Marinette and Adrien in the semi-dark of the room together. She emerged a moment later, triumphantly holding up a small flash drive. "I'll download it to this and you can take it home with you. After all that you have been through, sugar, you need to have some happiness to listen to."

"We really can't thank you enough, Alice." Adrien took the proffered flash drive after Alice got done.

"Nonsense, honey, I'm happy to do it. So, it looks like you're about 11 weeks, 5 days. So, that'll put your due date on December 31st. Looks like a New Year's miracle! I'll print out the pictures of the sonogram and you can take those home as well. Once you're released from the hospital that is. You take care of yourself and say hello to my sister for me the next time you see her." Alice smiled warmly at both of them before wiping off Marinette's stomach. "I'll let you clean her up, Dad."

Adrien's eyes shined as he turned to Mari. "Did you hear that? She called me 'Dad'. I'm a _father_ , my Lady!" He grabbed a couple of paper towels and finished wiping Marinette down before placing a gentle kiss on her stomach.

"Papa Chat. Has a nice ring to it, don't ya think?" Marinette giggled as he kissed her stomach, carding her fingers through his hair. He looked up at her with love filled eyes. He gently cradled her head in his palms before bringing his lips to hers in a sweet kiss. Marinette moaned quietly, it felt like forever since they had gotten to be just Adrien and Marinette. Well, Adrien and Marinette and their kitten. She wanted more, more of Adrien's loving hands stroking the fire within her that burned for him alone. She wanted Adrien to erase Luka's touch, a balm to the painful memories of the past. She deepened the kiss, pulling him closer until there was nothing but a whisper of space between them. Adrien groaned as her kisses became more frantic, more intense. He finally broke away, resting his forehead against hers as they caught their breath.

"Marry me." Adrien said softly.

"...what?" Marinette came down from her lust induced fog at Adrien's hoarse whisper. She had clearly heard what he said, but shock held her back from her intended response.

"Marry me, Marinette." Adrien pulled back to look her in the face. "I was going to propose six months ago, but you got accepted for the position in Milan and…" he broke off, gazing to the side. He shook of those thoughts and continued, "but even with you being gone those six months, no one filled the part of my soul you took with you when you left. I tried…. To get over you. To move on. But it felt dirty. Wrong. You are my heart, Marinette. You are my soul, my home, my everything. Now you are carrying our child and I just want us to be a family. I promise to love you forever and never leave you. I want you to be MY Lady for the rest of our time here. Please, Marinette. Marry me?" Adrien knew it was the cheesiest thing he had ever said, but it came from the heart. He just wanted to spend the rest of his life with this broken woman in front of him. Nothing else mattered in this moment except his and Marinette's future. He watched as her eyes filled with tears before spilling over to track down her cheeks. On her right side the tears just dampened the bandage taped to her cheek.

"I'm broken, Chaton. I'm messed up, I don't know what's gonna happen now that Luka is gone, I don't want to trap you with me…" She took a deep breath and raised her fingers to his mouth as he opened it to protest, "But…. I would love to be your wife. Now, tomorrow, every day afterwards. Of course I'll marry you. I thought we had already discussed this though?!" She laughed through her tears.

"We did, but I want to make it official. As soon as you get out of the hospital, let's go ring shopping. I want the world to know you're mine." Adrien declared with a crooked smile.

"What about your father? When are you going to tell him?" Marinette hated to bring up Gabriel at a time like this, but she needed to know what to expect if she was going to become an Agreste.

"My father…." Adrien clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth together before answering. He had forgotten that Marinette had passed out when Luka finally provided the information they were looking for. Adrien took a deep breath before breaking the news. "My father…. Was the one that put the hit out on you. Apparently you are so amazing that my father felt threatened by you and wanted you gone. He hired Luka. I promise you, Bugaboo, I will do _whatever_ it takes to keep you safe. If it means going up against my father, so be it. I don't want you to be afraid…" he traced a hand over the bandage on her cheek before lightly tracing her swollen jaw. "You mean everything to me. I'm sorry… I'm sorry that my father… that…" Adrien couldn't finish his sentence, collapsing against Marinette as sobs racked his body.

Marinette was stunned. Out of everyone who didn't like her, she would've never thought _Gabriel Agreste_ would feel threatened by her. Adrien was nearly inconsolable, so she rubbed his back until his sobs subsided. She had never really liked Gabriel Agreste, who was always so cold and so indifferent to Adrien, his only son. He had driven the one good thing in his life, his wife Emilie, away with his cold demeanor and indifference to his family. She knew he was ruthless in a business sense, but she didn't ever think that he was _that_ ruthless. Although, the more she thought about it, the more it started to make sense. He didn't get to be number one in the fashion business by talent alone. Even the most talented designers had teams and teams to help their designs be realized. _Oh my god Gabriel is the head of the fashion mob._ Marinette couldn't contain her hysterical giggles, soon breaking down to laugh outright while Adrien stared at her incredulously.

"What the hell is so funny about my father wanting to kill you?!" Adrien whisper yelled as Marinette continued to laugh. He was just about to ask her if she had lost her mind when the doctor knocked on the door and opened it.

"Good to see you in better spirits, Mlle Dupain-Cheng. I have your printouts from the ultrasound and I've got good news." The doctor handed Adrien the printouts and walked around to the other side of the bed to check Marinette's IV fluids. "Your baby's growth is right on track, and it appears that the fetus suffered no lasting damage from any of your wounds. I would advise against sexual intercourse for the next two weeks to allow the tears in your walls to heal. Other than that, the antibiotics we've been pushing through your IV have been doing their job, and the infections from some of the knife wounds have already started to clear up. You are healing at a remarkable rate, Mlle Dupain-Cheng. I'm having a hard time grasping _how_ you are, but the important part is you are. At the rate you are healing, you might be able to leave the hospital in the next few days. Until then, we are going to discharge you from the ICU and move you to a private room in the maternity ward. The doctors there will continue to monitor your baby for any signs of distress or preterm labor. It has been my pleasure meeting you, Mlle Dupain-Cheng, and I wish you nothing but the best." The doctor shook Marinette's hand before shaking Adrien's and departing.

They stared at each other in silence for a moment before breaking out into grins. "Tikki?" Marinette said, relief evident in her tone.

Tikki phased out from under the pillow, pulling a sleepy and still filthy Plagg with her. "Yes, Marinette?" Tikki's sweet voice was filled with innocence, but Marinette was onto her.

"Are you to blame for my increased healing abilities?" Marinette side eyed her while trying to contain her smile.

"Who… Me?" Tikki looked the very picture of innocence with her hands clasped in front of her and her eyes fluttering.

Meanwhile, Adrien and Plagg were staring at the two, completely nonplussed.

"Kid, do you have any idea what the hell is going on right now?" Plagg shook his head at his other half as she dissolved into helpless giggles with her holder.

"Not a fucking clue, but I love listening to them laugh, so I'll take it." Adrien said, looking on the scene fondly.


	18. Confession

Marinette had spent another week in the hospital before finally getting the okay to be released. Adrien had spent every available moment he could with her, but he still had his duties as a professor to deal with. His father had tried calling him a few times, but he hadn't answered the phone. Marinette's wounds had taken turns being infected and she couldn't help but think that it was a parting gift from Luka, just one last way to interfere with her life. Adrien had returned to the abandoned building the next day, and burnt it to the ground. He had told her that he had gone inside and checked to make sure that Luka's body was still there, that there was no way he'd be coming back from the dead to haunt them any longer. He had found Marinette's basket of produce from the market hidden in the recesses of the room she had been tortured in. He had also taken Luka's knife from the scene, just in case it could be used to identify the burned body as Luka's. It now resided in a shallow hole dug in the furthest corner of their backyard. Adrien hadn't felt comfortable with it being in the house but wanted it where no one could find it.

On the day she was released, Adrien had cancelled his classes for the day to be there to take her home. Marinette was in good spirits; while in the hospital she had been able to combat the nausea with meds and being forced to stay in bed had helped with her exhaustion. Alya had been with her nearly every day since her job allowed the most flexibility when it came to scheduling. She brought all her tech and set up shop in Marinette's spacious maternity ward room day after day. They would pass the day in comfortable silence, Alya working on her computer and Marinette sketching in her sketchpad. Alya would leave when Adrien got off work, and Marinette would have some time to herself before her fiancé arrived. But as routine has her life had gotten in the hospital, she missed her home desperately. She had only gotten to live with Adrien for a couple of weeks before Luka had found them, and she longed to be back. To pass her days sewing and waiting for Adrien to get home. And since she was out of her first trimester now… Well, Adrien was going to find himself mighty busy each night. Her bump had rounded out a little more, too. Pretty soon she wouldn't be able to hide it behind the loose fitting shirts she had been wearing. Her sketchpad now contained multiple maternity clothing sketches, and she couldn't wait to return to her sewing machine to get started on them. Adrien had also offered to take her shopping whenever she felt up to it, to buy any maternity clothing she didn't want to make.

They both waited anxiously for the discharge paperwork to be put into the system so that she could officially be released. Adrien had brought an outfit from home for her to change into and she had been hardpressed to get him to remain _outside_ of the bathroom so that she could change. It seemed she wasn't the only one looking forward to being back home, she mused as she pulled the brand new midnight blue shirt over her head. It had an empire waist and flowed in loose waves down to her thighs. Adrien must've bought it while she had been stuck in the hospital. He had also brought her a plain pair of black leggings and black flats. She had brushed her teeth and pulled her hair up into a messy bun with sideswept bangs. Even though she had been showering at the hospital, she couldn't wait to get home and use the ridiculously huge shower in her bathroom upstairs. She walked out of the bathroom and Adrien took one look at her and pulled her in for a kiss. It started out sweet and gentle, but pretty soon both couldn't hold back anymore, and it morphed into a passionate battle between their tongues. Adrien finally broke it to rest his forehead on hers. Once his breathing slowed, he brought his hands up to cup her face and whispered, "I can't wait to get you home, future Mrs. Agreste."

Marinette giggled and pulled him in for another kiss, just a soft brushing of their lips. Someone clearing their throat behind Adrien made them break away from each other, blushing wildly. Adrien dropped his hand and reached for hers before turning around. The doctor from her first day there stood in the doorway, a small smile on his face. Since that first day, he had really warmed up to the young couple. The love between them was evident to any person around them for longer than a couple seconds, and he had plenty of time to experience it during Marinette's stay in the hospital.

"It looks like you're all set to go, Mlle Dupain Cheng. Here is your paperwork, along with a list of the closest OB/GYN offices to your address. I suggest making an appointment in the next week or so. This disc contains all your medical files from this stay, so be sure and give it to them so that they are up to date with your specific injuries. The sonograms from yesterday show that the tears in your vaginal walls have completely healed well in advance of my original timeline of two weeks. You should be free to have intercourse once again. If you have any spotting or bleeding after intercourse, call whichever OB/GYN office you pick immediately. There is a chance that you'll be labeled high risk, simply because your body has gone through so much during your pregnancy and because you've already had to stop preterm labor." The doctor laid a thick packet of papers on her bedside table, along with a compact disc case with a label that had her name typed on it.

Adrien grinned and shook the doctors hand before replying, "Thank you, doctor. I'll make sure she picks one out as soon as possible. I'll also make sure of… the other stuff as well." Adrien's grin morphed into such a Chat smile that the doctor's smile widened and Marinette jabbed him in the ribs. It didn't deter him in the slightest. With an exasperated sigh, Marinette also shook the doctor's hand and thanked him.

She turned to her fiancé with a loving smile. "Are you ready to go, Chaton?" The love in his eyes as he nodded took her breath away. She never thought she deserved him; and yet here he was, looking down at her with all the love he had while his hand rested on their unborn child. She never thought imagined he would be as excited to be a father as he was. It was like new life had been breathed into him since the night their kwami's emerged and as he started to suspect that she might be pregnant. He had come clean when they were finally alone that first night she was in the hospital, telling her that he had suspected for a few weeks that she might be pregnant but never bringing it up to her because he didn't want to pressure her. She loved the man more and more each day, her heart filled to bursting levels only to reach new heights with each passing day.

He looked at her as she continued to gaze at him, finally asking "What?" when she continued to stare. She just shook her head and reached down to pick up her bag. Adrien and Alya had brought her as many things as they could to help her feel more at home during her stay in the hospital. He reached over her and grabbed the bag, holding it out of her reach as she tried to grab it from him.

"I'm not an invalid." She muttered as she gave up on trying to reach the bag and settled for just picking up the paperwork and disk case.

"No, you're not. But you are my Purrincess. Let me spoil you." Adrien's tone was so sincere that she couldn't be mad at him. She stood on her toes to give him a chaste kiss before starting to head towards the door. The doctor stopped her before she could get more than a couple of steps though.

"It's hospital procedure that you be brought downstairs in a wheelchair. No arguments, Mlle Dupain Cheng, that's just the way it is," the doctor held up his hand when Marinette's mouth opened to argue. He turned to Adrien. "Dad, if you want to pull the car around or call a car service down to the front doors, now is the time to do it."

"They're already down there and waiting." Adrien replied to the doctor. They had chosen to not purchase their own car, as that had the potential to tip off anyone monitoring Adrien's accounts. So far they had just transformed to travel anywhere in their small community that was further than walking. But Adrien had called a car service as soon as he knew Marinette would be released, and they had been downstairs waiting since then.

The doctor nodded and walked out of the room, presumably to fetch a nurse and the wheelchair. Marinette huffed and turned to Adrien, ready to complain, but the words died in her throat as she caught his intense gaze. "Do you know how much I love you, Mari?" His tone was serious, as if she ever had any question about him loving her. A laughable thought.

She intertwined her fingers with his that rested on her bump. "You know, the entire six months I was in Milan, I tried to convince myself that you didn't. That you had blocked my number because you were done with me. Done loving me. It hurt, but in a way I understood. So I left you alone. Alya tried to talk to me about it, tried to update me on your wellbeing, but eventually I told her to stop. It felt like a gaping hole had been ripped inside of me. One that was slowly consuming me. It was only a matter of time before I came back. I think somewhere in my subconscious I had already decided I was coming back. And then Alya surprised me and…." She took a deep breath before continuing, "I realized after that that you had never stopped loving me, you were just hurting. Hurting like I was. I made a mess of things, screwed everything up, and yet you still loved me. I don't deserve your love, Adrien, but I'm a selfish creature by nature. So I'll accept whatever part of you that you want to give me, and I'll be forever grateful for it." Her eyes shone with unshed tears, but her gaze never left his.

His smile was gentle as he once again raised a hand to cradle her face. "Bugaboo, you've had all of me since we were kids. I- I have some things to tell you about what happened while you were in Milan," he dropped his gaze, focusing on her bump before continuing. A shiver of foreboding raced down her spine. "But let's get you home first. You're fine, I'm fine, and our kitten is fine. It's a time to celebrate, not dwell on the past." His eyes still had a shadow in them, but she brushed it off for the moment. He would tell her when he was ready, not that it would change her feelings towards him. Whatever dark thing he was going to tell her, it wasn't like she had much room to talk.

A nurse walked in the door, pulling a wheelchair into the room. She smiled at them before telling Marinette to get settled in the chair. They glanced around the room one last time, making sure nothing was left behind, and then they were leaving the room behind. Marinette got lost in the maze of hallways and doors. Suddenly they were in a hallway that had elevators lining either side of the walls. The nurse pressed the button and they waited for it to arrive. A few minutes later, they were walking outside into the weak late afternoon sunlight. The sky already had streaks of orange and pink in it as the sun set, and Marinette couldn't help but think that it was the most beautiful thing she had seen. Her fiancé strode up to the sleek black car waiting along the curb speaking with the driver a moment before opening the back door and coming back to help Marinette get up. _Well, maybe the second most beautiful,_ she thought to herself as Adrien took her hand and she stood up. Even though Tikki had helped her healing along, limiting the scars from Luka's sadistic attacks, she still felt weak and exhausted. Being bedridden for a week had already weakened her muscles. She yet again wondered if Tikki would still let her transform.

After Adrien helped her into the car and waved the nurse away, he went around and got into the car. She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. He pressed a soft kiss into her hair. A comfortable silence enveloped them, and Marinette dozed off. She woke as Adrien was wrapping his arms around her to lift her out and carry her bridal style to the door.

"Put me down, Adrien. I can walk just fine."

Adrien made a noise of protest but complied, setting her feet gently on the ground before taking her hand and tugging her towards the door. He smirked down at her as he pushed the front door open. She only had a moment to wonder at it, and then Alya and Nino were jumping out of the kitchen doorway yelling "Welcome Home!" She felt Adrien wrap his arms around her waist from behind her. He bent down and whispered into her ear, "Welcome home, Bugaboo."

With a laugh she turned in his arms, looking up at the ridiculous man that was the love of her life. She kissed him briefly, a promise of more later in her eye, before turning back around and laughing at her two best friends as she went forward and greeted them. They had laid a spread of food on the kitchen table. Adrien's favorite, pain au chocolat, occupied a fair share of table space, while some of Mari's favorites from her parent's bakery occupied the other side. A selection of pastries and a cheese board occupied the rest. Mari whooped and grabbed a plate. The others laughed as she stacked her plate as high as she could. She looked at them laughing with wide eyes. "What?! None of you have had to live off of hospital food for a week! Don't judge me!" Glaring at them for a beat before joining in their laughter. It was good to be home.

Everyone enjoyed the food and then retired to their spacious living room. Adrien's ridiculously large television occupied one of the walls, a low entertainment center built in underneath it. He set up the controllers for an Ultimate Mecha Strike III tournament and they spent the rest of the evening being pummelled by Marinette until she was banned from playing. She pouted for a bit and then spent the rest of the time alternating between distracting Adrien and yelling tips at him. All in all, it was the most relaxing evening they'd had since she returned to Paris. She was almost scared for it to end, terrified that once it did, all the bad would come rushing back. Tikki and Plagg had remained hidden the entire evening, since Alya and Nino had still didn't know about Ladybug and Chat Noir or the kwamis. Once all the hugs and goodbyes had happened, they finally flew out from the top shelf of a bookcase in Marinette's craft room that they had been hiding in. Plagg enjoyed his camembert while Marinette took a shower and Adrien made sure that Tikki was taken care of as well. They didn't have any freshly baked cookies for her since Marinette hadn't been home, but she made due with some cookies from the bakery. Adrien had tried to shower with Marinette, but she had told him in no uncertain terms that she'd had enough people 'helping' her lately thank you very much before banishing him from the bathroom.

When she finally emerged, he was already set up in bed. His laptop was balanced in front of him as he wrote out notes and lesson plans for his next section of classes. His glasses had always been a turn on for Marinette and she knew that he was well aware of that fact, so she had planned a sneak attack of her own. She stood in the doorway between their bathroom and bedroom, just content to watch silently as he worked. When he finally looked over his glasses towards the doorway, he immediately closed the laptop and put it on the bedside nightstand. Marinette walked out in one of his t-shirts, her bump just big enough to show in the larger shirt, but the effect of it on Adrien was instantaneous.

He was about to take his glasses off when Marinette crawled across the bed and stopped him by pushing his glasses back up his nose by the middle of the frames. "Leave them, Kitty." She bit her bottom lip and he smirked at her. Adrien's heart beat loudly in his chest and he felt his cock flex in his black pajama pants that had neon green paw prints stitched into them. They were one of Marinette's creations that she had given him for one of his birthdays. She crawled onto his lap and straddled his thighs.

Adrien peered down at her baby bump and gently touched it. A warm smile crossed his lips and Marinette touched his chin, bringing his gaze up to her own. "Are you gonna stare at our kitten all night or are you gonna give your Lady some much needed attention?" She ran her hands along his muscular bare shoulders and he softly chuckled.

"Can't I do both? When I look at you I admire not only you, Marinette, but the fact that you are taking care of our kitten. You're amazing, Marinette." Adrien brushed his lips against hers and ran his thumb along her stomach. Marinette grabbed his hands and slid them up her stomach to her breasts and he softly moaned as he lightly palmed them. She gasped and bit her lip as he ran his thumbs over her peaked nipples through the soft fabric.

Marinette softly moaned and rocked her hips against him. He let out a groan and trailed kisses down her neck, to her collar bone, to her breasts, and down to her stomach. He followed his lips with his fingertips and worshiped her rounded baby bump in chaste kisses. Marinette wanted more. She had been waiting a long time and she didn't want to go slow. "Kitty?" Marinette sighed and ran her fingers through his soft hair.

He peered up over his glasses to look at her. "Hm?" Adrien looked back down and placed a few more loving kisses onto her stomach. He admired the fact that she was growing their kitten inside of her. How much it took for her to keep that baby safe. Admired what she had gone through while taking care of their kitten. Plus, seeing her in one of his shirts drove him wild. He stopped pressing kisses to her rounded bump and looked up at her, drawing small circles along her stomach with his fingertips.

"I'm glad that you're admiring me and the kitten but… I need you to go faster." Marinette watched his expression change from loving and supportive to dangerous and sultry. She gasped as his hair fell into his face and a flush came to his cheeks. How his eyes grew heavy and a soft smirk formed on his lips.

"You want me to go faster?" Adrien suddenly slid his hand around to the small of her back and yanked her closer to him. He ran his hand along her cheek and around to the back of her head. She gasped as he crashed his lips against hers in a hungry kiss that left her wanting more. She parted her lips in a soft moan and he plunged his tongue into her mouth. She moaned louder and ran her tongue along his, tangling her fingers into his soft golden hair.

Adrien moaned and picked her up. He laid her down onto the bed and kneeled between her legs. She sat up slightly and pulled him closer by the waistband of his pajama pants. He smirked at her and she slowly slid them down his hips. She placed kisses along his shoulders and chest as she set his aching cock free from the confines of his pants. Adrien groaned as her fingers wrapped around the length of him. He caught himself with his palm on the headboard and he panted, as she sped up her hand. She licked along his bottom lip and flicked the top one. Adrien groaned and rocked his hips for her. Marinette pulled his face closer and pressed her lips against his in an intoxicating kiss. She couldn't get enough of him, couldn't get close enough to him. Nothing she or he did felt like enough for her.

Adrien slid his hands up her thighs, inching her shirt up higher until it was around her hips. He bent down and she leaned back against the headboard. "What do you want me to do, m'Lady?" He peered up at her over his black frames with a dangerous smile and smoldering emerald eyes.

Marinette could barely string words together. His glowing eyes through his messy blonde hair were striking and she couldn't get enough of it. A major part of her wanted to take a photo of him like this for the sole purpose of having it to fantasize about later. She chose instead to tangle her fingers into his hair and push him to where she needed him most. Her scent filled his senses and he got lost in it. She smelled sweet and heady and all he wanted to do was savor her. He brushed the tip of his nose along her wet folds through her lace boyshort panties. Marinette softly moaned and watched him brush his lips against her pussy, before he wrapped them around her clit through the thin fabric. She cried out and rolled her hips. He softly chuckled and pulled away from her sex.

"You have to tell Papa Chat what you want, Bugaboo." Adrien teased her by running his finger along the edge of her panties and she whimpered. She wanted to tell him. She really did, but she couldn't get the words out with him doing what he was. "Come on, baby. Talk to me." He flicked her swollen clit through her panties with the tip of his warm tongue and she shivered.

Marinette suddenly grabbed his biceps and pulled. He crawled up her body and she brought her lips mere inches from his. "You expect me to talk with you doing what you're doing?" She panted the words out and her cheeks inflamed.

Adrien smirked at her and slid his fingers between her thighs, along her wet slit. "No, I expect you to sing for me." He circled her clit and right on cue she gripped his biceps and cried out. Her legs trembled and clamped around his forearm as she came hard. He ran his tongue along hers in a heated kiss and she dug her nails into his skin, as he kept her orgasm going with his fingers. "Just like that, baby." Marinette watched him with bedroom eyes as she kept shuddering and whimpering.

Adrien watched her and his cock twitched, begging for release and for her touch. Marinette pushed him back onto his heels and she got on her hands and knees. He watched her with curious eyes as she wrapped her hand around his hard cock. Adrien bit his bottom lip and tangled one of his hands in her hair, while the other supported him. She flicked the drop of precum from the tip of his cock with the tip of her tongue and he moaned, cocking his head to the side with smoldering emerald eyes that glowed. He gasped as she wrapped her lips around his swollen head and slowly took more of him into her warm mouth. She ran her tongue along him, while she bobbed her head up and down. He purred and watched her with heavily lidded eyes. "Shit…" Adrien softly cursed beneath his breath as he parted his lips and watched her with admiration.

Marinette soon wrapped her fingers around his cock again, moving her lips and hand in tandem. Adrien groaned and gently nudged her shoulder. "You keep doing that and I won't make it. It's been too long since I had you last..." Adrien bit out his words as he felt all of his muscles tense beneath his skin. She let go of him with a wet pop and kept her hand moving along him. She rolled her thumb along the head of his cock and he bit his bottom lip and moaned. "Get on your hands and knees."

Her eyes widened and she let his words saturate her thoughts. "What?" She squeaked and he smirked at her with a devilish expression that only spoke of trouble. She couldn't get enough of his expression through his glasses that were now falling down the bridge of his nose, causing him to look even more sexy than before.

"You heard me." He leaned into her and she fell back, catching herself on her palms. "On your hands and knees, Purrincess." Adrien searched her bluebell eyes and she suddenly sat up again. He backed up, giving her room to turn around. She got onto her hands and knees and he ran his hands along her hips, sliding her shirt up her spine and over her head. The shirt wrapped around her wrists and bound them together. "Now, don't remove that shirt. Keep it there and don't move your hands."

Marinette softly mewled and pressed her ass against his arousal. Adrien groaned and met her movement with his own. He slid his hand up her spine and she bit her bottom lip. She wanted him to touch her, to fill her, to whisper sweet nothings into her ear while he made her see stars.

"I'm going to have to get used to doing this from this angle in a few more months so I might as well start practicing now." Adrien smirked to himself and Marinette whimpered when his voice caressed her ear. He hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties and slid them down her thighs, exposing her wet sex to the cool air. Adrien pulled them from her legs and threw them off to the side. He laid on his back and pulled himself between her thighs. Adrien smirked and gripped her hips with his fingertips and pulled her pussy down to his lips. She cried out and moaned, rolling her hips against his mouth. Adrien wrapped his lips around her swollen clit and sucked, while he flicked her sensitive nub with the tip of his tongue. He ran his tongue along her slit and circled her clit with a flourish. Marinette bucked her hips and ground her pussy against him. He groaned and wrapped his lips around her swollen nub again and lavished it until she was screaming his name.

"ADRIEN!" Marinette cried out and clenched his pillow in her fisted hands.

"God, I love when you say my name loud enough for all of the neighbors to hear." He gave her clit one last kiss, before he slid out from under her.

She whimpered and clenched her fists, as he suddenly gripped her hips and yanked her up more onto her knees. He grabbed his throbbing cock in one hand and ran his hand along it. Adrien panted and whined before he lined his cock up with her tight entrance. "Ready, Bugaboo?"

Marinette peered over her shoulder and replied in a voice filled with hunger. "Fuck me, Chaton." She couldn't take it anymore. All she wanted was him inside of her, filling her, taking her with reckless abandon. She wanted to forget everything that had happened. She wanted to only think of him and no one else.

"With _pleasure_ , M'Lady." Adrien moaned at the way she commanded him like it was an order and he entered her. She moaned as he filled her slowly, pushing the tip of his cock inside of her tight pussy. Her walls clenched around him as he slowly slid further into her. She moaned and rolled her hips, causing him to slowly sink into her further with each thrust. "Ah, Marinette…." He gripped her hips as he entered her all of the way. Her walls throbbed, milking him with each of his movements. She clutched the pillows in her fingers and cried out into the pillows as he sped up his pace. He crashed into her over and over again, making her moan and scream. Adrien suddenly changed his angle slightly and his cock ran along the bundle of nerves that had swelled up and she gasped. He kept his movements slow, as he reached around her hip and ran his index finger up and down on her swollen clit with his movements. She felt her toes curl and her breath catch as her body tensed up. Her legs trembled and her cheeks flushed. He softly moaned from behind her and picked up the pace, causing her to fall over the edge, screaming in bliss.

"ADRIEN!" Marinette cried out against the expensive pillows and she bit down on one hard as she rode out her orgasm. He once again gripped her hips and pumped into her harder and faster. She gasped and panted, as she continued to moan. He panted and felt pressure building at the base of his spine.

"Marinette… sweetheart.. I- I'm gonna…" Adrien swallowed hard and parted his lips in a pant. He was so close and he didn't know if he could hold on much longer. She felt amazing, warm, wet, and alluring. Her walls tugged on him and he felt himself swell to the point of no return. He was so close and tried to hold back a little longer, to extend their experience a little longer, but it was becoming impossible for him.

Marinette peered over her shoulder at him through her messy dark bangs with rosy cheeks and sparkling blue eyes. "Cum for me, Chaton." Her words broke his resolve and he came hard, digging his nails into her hips. She cried out and came at the same time, rocking against him. She rode out her orgasm with him and he pulled out when she stopped moving. Marinette laid on her side and he laid down beside her, his elbow digging into the fabric so that his head was propped up in his hand.

Adrien ran his fingers through her hair and pulled the comforter over them. Even though he finally felt like he was home now that her warm body once again joined his in their bed, he couldn't stop the anxiety gnawing at his insides. His heart hurt as he looked down at the love of his life, who was smiling up at him with the rosy afterglow of their lovemaking still evident in her cheeks. There was still something he hadn't told her yet. Something that had happened after she left for Milan. Something he was horrified that he had let happen. Something that he wasn't sure she would forgive him for. His heart sank and his breathing picked up. Marinette noticed a change in him as he quickly pulled her to him and buried his face in her neck. "What's wrong, Adrien?" Marinette ran her fingers along his spine and he began to cry. All of his emotions poured out of him in great gasping sobs and she became worried. "Hey… Chaton?" She gently pushed him away and touched his chin, bring his gaze up to meet hers. "What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything."

Adrien shook his head and let the tears flow down his cheeks. His breathing ragged, he gasped out, "If I told you… you'd leave me. I'm so scared you'll leave me. Please don't leave me." He begged her and she became more worried than before.

"What are you talking about?" Marinette searched his swollen red eyes and he took a shaky breath. He was scared that she would hate him. That she would tell him to go. That she would never want to see him again. That she would take his kitten and disappear forever.

"I- I fucked up. I made a big mistake and I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I-" Adrien's bottom lip trembled as he gazed past a concerned Marinette and into the upholstered headboard with a broken expression. He got lost in the memory of when he had done something terribly wrong. Something that he wished he hadn't done. Something he wasn't proud of. Something that made him unclean and unlike the perfect angel she had seen him as. Something that made him feel tainted and made his stomach churn. The bedroom faded into the backstage of one of his father's fashion shows as he began to speak to Marinette in broken, gasping, sentences.

* * *

 _Adrien was sitting at his prep station, the bright lights surrounding the mirror nearly blinding as Veronica touched up his makeup for what seemed like the hundredth time. He only had to make one more appearance on the runway and then he would be free to leave. Free to be alone to drown in the bottomless pit that was his regret. Regret for letting Marinette leave on such awful terms, regret for blocking her number so that she couldn't get ahold of him, regret for still allowing his father to dictate his life, regret after regret after regret. He just wanted to drown out the thoughts, and he was contemplating ways to do that when a shrill cry cut through his wallowing. Looking into the mirrors reflection, he saw a blonde streak making a mad dash for his station._

" _Oh my god- Adrikins?!"_

 _Adrien internally sighed. Of all the people in the world he did_ not _want to see, Chloe Bourgeois was somewhere near the top. He put on his model smile and waved to her reflection. She hadn't changed much since their school days together. Her hair was styled differently than her normal high ponytail, probably specifically for this fashion show. It was styled into an elegant sideswept chignon, showcasing the diamonds that dripped from her ears. She wore a sparkling silver dress with strappy silver heels. Despite the attempt at outer beauty, Adrien still only saw the inner ugliness she wore like a cloak. He had lost touch with her once they had graduated from school and he couldn't say that he was upset about it._

" _Hey, Chlo." Adrien was due onstage in two minutes, so he knew their conversation would have to be short._

" _Adrikins, I haven't talked to you in so long," she pouted at his reflection, "Marinette stole you away from me." He knew he hadn't been able to control the pain at hearing Marinette's name, if Chloe's smile was anything to go by. It was all teeth, as if someone had just told her there was a package of diamonds in the middle of a horde of people. People she wouldn't have any qualms about mowing down to get to her prize._

" _Monsieur Agreste, you're on in 30 seconds." a stagehand with a headset stopped next to his chair._

" _Sorry, Chloe. Duty calls and all that." He turned, intending on making his way to where the stagehand was frantically gesturing to him, before a hand on his bicep stopped him. He looked down at it and then into Chloe's eyes. He raised an eyebrow, surprised at her forwardness._

" _Let's get together after the show. I know a high end lounge that would be perfect for us to catch up in comfort." Chloe didn't remove her hand and kept her eye contact with him._

" _Okay." He shrugged her hand off with a resigned sigh. He had no doubt that she had intentionally planned to ask him when he didn't have any time to come up with an excuse. He rushed over to the curtain, barely making it out in time. He totally missed the smirk that crossed Chloe's face. He took a deep breath before stepping out into the crowds eyesight._

 _Once he was done, he changed back into the silky white button down shirt and black slacks that he had worn to the event. He slipped on his black socks and black dress shoes before standing back up. Right on cue, Chloe was cutting through the throng of personnel, headed in his direction. He had hoped to sneak away before she returned to the backstage area, but it seemed like luck was just never in his favor._

" _Adrikins! Ready to go?" Chloe wrapped her arms around his bicep with a simpering smile. His patience was already dangerously low, and an evening with Chloe was sure to test the limits of his pleasantness._

" _Chlo, no offense, but I really don't feel like going out-" Adrien's eyebrows shot up as she placed a finger against his lips._

" _No arguments, Adrikins. You told me before that you would go out with me."_

" _That is not even close to what I said-" Adrien once again tried to gain control of the conversation, only to be cut off once again. Already, his irritation was reaching dangerous levels._

" _Details, details." She waved his denial away with a hand while she steered him to the door. "I just want to catch up. It's not like I'm trying to get in your pants or anything. I don't bite, Adrien."_

 _Adrien didn't believe a damn word out of her mouth, but he was also tired of fighting her. He was just tired in general. Nino had been pestering him to go out and try to move on, that nothing good would come of dwelling on the past. Like it was just that easy to move on. He highly doubted that Nino was thinking of him moving on with Chloe at the time, but it is what it is. With another sigh he finally consented. Maybe he should let his guard down for once. Maybe it was time to give her a chance? Just a one time thing. Surely that was fine, right? Just one night to try and numb the pain. One night to forget that she had even broken his heart in the first place. Or maybe this was divine providence, Chloe coming to him. Maybe this was a sign to move on and let go of the past completely._

 _The ride to les Aile du Obscurite, the lounge which Chloe had spoken of was filled with her mindless chattering. How her fragrance business was doing, how much money she was bringing in, how high up in society she was now that she had cut ties to her father after his downfall. Basically, it was her preening. Adrien tried to tune it out and just nod or reply when he was prompted to. Once they arrived and the car door was opened, she stepped out with all the pomp she could muster. He couldn't wait to get inside and get a drink in his hand, otherwise he was bound to snap._

 _She walked up to the guard, hanging off of Adrien's arm like they had been together for years._

" _Good evening Mlle Bourgeois. And guest…?" The guard cast a curious look in Adrien's direction before his eyes widened. "My apologies M. Agreste, I didn't immediately recognize you. Please, enjoy your evening." And with that, they were in and heading towards the bar._

" _Adrikins, what do you feel like drinking tonight?" Chloe tapped her finger on the bar and the barman snapped to attention from where he was cleaning glasses._

" _I would like a shot of your strongest Absinthe." The barman peered at him for a moment before Chloe snapped her fingers at him._

" _You heard the man, make his drink. Now!" In typical Chloe style, she took charge of the transaction, also ordering a Soixante Quinze for herself. Adrien rolled his eyes. At least it worked in his favor this once. After they had their drinks in their hands, Chloe led Adrien over to her favorite corner of the lounge, a deeply recessed circular booth that had plush maroon leather seating and a light gray marble tabletop. It had half walls on either side of it, giving it a sense of privacy the other spots around the lounge did not have. "This over here is my favorite spot, Adrikins." Adrien couldn't possibly see Chloe coming with someone else, let alone a group of people that would necessitate this big of a booth. Then again, Chloe had always thought she was the most important person in any room she was in, so maybe it did make sense to him. They slid into it, Chloe still uncomfortably close to him as they settled._

 _She launched into the story of her father's downfall and his falling out with her, only stopping when Adrien flagged down a waiter to order yet another shot. Once the man left, she picked right back up where she had left off. His mind was still working, still thinking of Marinette's smile and how she always laughed at his lame cat puns. How she bit her lip when she was particularly turned on by something he was doing. He couldn't handle it anymore. Without paying any attention to what Chloe was saying, he said, "Chloe, why haven't I ever heard of you having a boyfriend? Or having any interest in anyone?" He should've been a little more tactful about asking, but he couldn't be bothered to care. It was just Chloe after all._

" _Because relationships are for insecure fools who aren't happy with themselves. Plus," she wrapped an arm behind his head and started to play with his hair, "what if I was waiting for you all this time?" Her other hand started to slowly snake up his thigh, almost reaching the apex of his legs when-_

" _Sir, your drink. Anything for you, Mlle Bourgeois?" The waiter sat Adrien's shot in front of him and looked at Chloe's empty glass._

" _No, I just need for you to get lost!" The waiter looked bewildered for a moment before retreating. Chloe turned back to Adrien, who had already downed his shot. "Where were we?"_

 _Adrien was getting lightheaded, but he managed to respond. "Well, you were about to grope my dick and I was about to slap your hand away." He had succeeded in doing what he had set out to do: force his thoughts to cease. If only they hadn't taken away his eyesight too…._

 _Chloe gave him an appraising look before plastering a fake caring smile on her face. "I think you've had a little too much alcohol, Adrien. Those were strong shots, after all. Why don't we head back to my apartment and I'll get you some coffee. Maybe some pain au chocolat to soak up some of the liquor before you go home as well?" She pulled her phone out and texted her driver._

" _I'm fine, Chlo. I don't need to be babysat. I'm just going to head home." Adrien tried to get out of the booth, nearly falling flat doing so._

 _Chloe slid out from the other side and put on her most caring impression as she grabbed his arm and helped right him. "Of course you're fine, honey. Is it alright if my driver drops you off? I don't want you wandering the streets alone. Never know what kind of predators are out there waiting." Chloe allowed herself a smug smile. Or that were right next to him, not that he knew that._

" _I suppose that would be okay. Since he drove, I'm not entirely sure I know where I am in relation to my apartment anyways." He was faintly impressed with himself that he had managed to string that sentence together so eloquently._

 _Chloe helped him across the lounge and out into the cold night air. Her driver pulled up a moment later and helped her get Adrien into the car. As he shut Adrien's door and walked around to the other side of the car to open Chloe's, she hissed at him, "He's going to give you his address because he wants to go home, but under no circumstances are you to go anywhere other than back to my apartment. Got it?" Her driver only nodded as he opened the door. Chloe made sure to sit as close to Adrien as she could in the confined space of the car as he gave the driver his address in halting words. She carded her hands through his hair as he stared dully in front of him until his eyes slid shut._

" _That feels… Mmmm… That feels good, Mari." Adrien didn't seem to notice his slip up, but Chloe sure as hell caught it. Her nimble mind worked until they arrived at her apartment building. "Heyyy… This isn't my building. Youu tricked meee…" The liquor was definitely starting to affect him, but he couldn't seem to remember why he should care. He giggled as she smiled at him and started to steer him towards the elevators._

 _He didn't remember much else until they were sitting in her apartment. He was on a white leather sofa that reminded him of the one that used to be in his room growing up. His head laid across the back of the cushion. He lifted his head to find Chloe at a phone ordering them coffee and his pain au chocolat. As she hung up the phone, his head started to swim and his stomach started to lurch. He stood up and managed to get out, "Bathroom?" before running in the direction she pointed. He didn't bother to try and find the light switch but the light turned on anyways and he located the toilet and ran to it, just in time to expel what little he had ate that day. He took a moment to make sure he wouldn't need to vomit again before going over and washing his hands. He rooted around in the cabinet below the sink until he found a new toothbrush still in the box and some toothpaste. He brushed his teeth and slapped some cold water on his face. His vision was still blurry, but he was feeling slightly better._

 _He emerged from the bathroom and walked down the short hallway that led back to her living room. A small kitchen occupied one corner of the room by the front door. Across the living room and next to a wall full of windows showing the nighttime Paris skyline, was a fireplace. The couch faced towards the front door, the wall of windows framed behind it. An oversized white armchair faced the fireplace, and Chloe was currently occupying it. She gestured to the low black coffee table and he saw the coffee and food that must've arrived while he was in the bathroom. He belatedly realized that the only other door in that hallway probably led to her bedroom._

 _He sunk back down on the couch and fixed his cup of coffee the way he liked it. He gingerly picked up the hot oversized mug and took a sip. He closed his eyes as the warm liquid slid down his throat. After managing another drink, he sat it down and picked up one of the chocolate croissants and bit into it. He already felt better, sitting there enjoying his favorite treat. He looked at Chloe, who had been surprisingly quiet since his return from the bathroom. "What?"_

 _She smiled and shook her head before replying, "I'm going to get out of this dress. Make yourself at home, Adrien." She sat her mug down and stood up, picking up her heels from their spot on the floor before starting down the hallway._

 _Adrien sat in the dimly lit room by himself, wondering how he had sunk so low as to end up at Chloe's apartment. He shook his head, rubbing his eyes hard. His vision was still blurred and he didn't understand why- Oh. His glasses. He had planned on being back home before nightfall so he hadn't brought them to the ridiculous showcase his father had insisted he needed him at last minute. Adrien knew it was only a ploy to get him back into fashion, anything to keep him from wallowing over… Nope. Not going to think about_ her.

 _The alcohol still running through his system probably wasn't helping his vision problems any, but until he could get home he just had to make the best of it. His head was still spinning if he moved too quickly as well. He started to fall asleep in the comfortable atmosphere of Chloe's living room. He closed his eyes for what he thought to be a brief moment, opening them again to see a blurry figure standing in the entrance to the hallway. He rubbed his eyes and that just seemed to make things worse. He trained his eyes on the figure leaning against the doorway to the hall, thinking he must either still be dreaming or seeing things. His cock perked up a little bit as he took in the figure that looked so much like Marinette. Her pigtails caught the low light and a light shimmer of blue sparked within her dark locks. She was wearing an outfit she used to wear a lot in their school days, a white shirt with a black overshirt and pink capris. The white shirt had a pattern of flowers flowing along one side of it._

 _Adrien's eyes widened as Marinette curled her finger in a 'come hither' motion. His head spun with how fast he stood up, but he ignored it in his haste to get to Marinette. She turned into the bedroom, where candles burned all over various surfaces in the room. Through the dim lighting from the dozen or so candles scattered all across the dark room, he could see that a huge four post bed occupied the middle of the space. At the foot of the bed was a low bench. A vanity sat immediately across from the foot of the bed. The only other furniture in the room that he could see was a small table with a lush high back white chair that sat in another corner of the room and a television mounted on to the wall. Marinette materialized out of the shadows and took his hand, leading him towards the corner with the chair. She grabbed it and pulled it more into the open place of her bedroom. Adrien couldn't quite recall Marinette ever telling him that she had moved, or had decided to live in such a fancy part of town, but who was he to judge where she wanted to live?_

 _She lightly pushed him into the chair as his eyes greedily drank her in for the first time in two months. She still hadn't spoken a word, but Adrien found that he didn't mind. She stood behind him and pushed her hands off of his shoulders towards the top most button on his shirt. As she pressed kisses along the curve of his neck, her fingers deftly unbuttoned his shirt until she couldn't reach anymore. She walked in front of him and knelt down to get the last couple buttons undone. She arched her back as she stood back up, pushing out her breasts to where they brushed his thighs. She pushed his shirt down and off of him, letting the material pool next to the chair. Once he was shirtless, she leaned forward once more making sure he was totally distracted by her breasts so that she could swing a leg around his thigh and straddle him. His hands automatically went up to grasp her, one on her lower back and the other cupping her ass._

 _Adrien's head was spinning. His heart was trying to warn him that something wasn't right here, that Marinette couldn't be this close and him not pick up on her scent of flour and bakery sweets. The smell that was uniquely hers. That the reason he was even here in the first place was because Marinette had left him. But his eyes had seen Marinette, hadn't they? In the darkness of the bedroom, he couldn't even look up to confirm before her lips were on his. He gasped at the sudden contact, and she slipped her tongue in. His cock twitched again as they battled for dominance, Adrien finally giving in and breaking away to catch his breath. He spread his legs a little more to balance her weight better so that he could run his hands up her sides, bunching her shirt as he went. He vaguely noticed that what he thought was an overshirt was actually just black sleeves on a white shirt. The flower design was also different than the one that Marinette used to wear as well. He mentally shook himself, wanting so badly to touch her again that he banished all rational thought. Once he reached her shoulders, he was preparing to tug it up over her head before she suddenly crossed her arms and pulled it the rest of the way off, giving him a front row seat to her full breasts. Once her shirt had been tossed aside, she arched her back as she pulled his head forward so that he captured one of her nipples in his mouth. He sucked on it while his other hand was busy kneading the other one. He lightly grazed his teeth along the pebbled flesh and earned a low moan from the woman straddling him. She ground down on the hardness nestled inside his black slacks, causing him to moan. She brought her face back down to his for a searing kiss, a frantic clash of teeth and tongues, as if she was afraid he would disappear. She stood up and pulled at his belt buckle and he took the hint and quickly took care of it. She stood up and turned around before undoing her own pants, treating him to a close view of her ass as it was revealed. Another alarm flashed as he realized she was wearing a thong. Marinette had always said she hated the feel of thongs._

 _She looked over her shoulder at him, as if she could hear his thoughts churning in his mind. Once she stepped out of her pants and thong, she turned around and tugged on Adrien's hand, beckoning him to rise. He followed her over to the spacious bed._

" _Your pants are going to have to go, Adrien." Her voice was low and sultry and he couldn't deny his excitement at her order. He undid his button and slid them down his legs, stepping out of the material before kicking it over to the pool of his clothes near the chair. Her hand came up and she pushed him backwards so that he fell onto the bed. He moved to the middle of the bed as she climbed over him, both of them groaning as her wet pussy accidentally slid against his hard cock. But she kept moving upwards, only stopping once her pussy was directly above Adrien's mouth. Her scent was still wrong, but he didn't have time to contemplate it before Marinette said, "Now, I'm going to sit on your face and you're going to be a good boy and help me get off. Start now."_

 _A shiver of foreboding went through Adrien as his tongue darted out to taste her. Even her taste had changed since he last remembered. He reasoned that it could be the alcohol making him think it had changed. He slid his tongue up her slit, briefly dipping it into her and causing her to moan loudly above him before finding her clit and pulling it into his mouth. He swirled his tongue, alternating between flicking her swollen nub and sucking it. The moans she made were indecent and they spurred him on. He managed to work one of his hands under her to slide a finger into her wet pussy. She growled at the addition, grinding down hard as she rode his finger while he continued to flick his tongue against her clit. He pulled his finger out and started to rub circles around her swollen bundle of nerves. In between moans, she managed to gasp out, "I'm going to cum and you'll lick up every last drop!" and then she was moaning his name as she fell over the edge. Adrien lapped at her until she stopped shuddering. His head was becoming a little clearer and he was starting to notice the inconsistencies between this lovemaking and his previous experiences he was used to having with Marinette. Marinette had always made his pleasure her priority and she had never commanded him in the tone that she was using now. His eyes strained to see her face in the darkness, but it seemed like something was always in the way of him being able to fully view her face._

 _She slid back down him on shaky legs, and he figured now would be the only chance he got at this rate. "Mari?" It was just one word, just a small question that could be easily answered. But it seemed like Marinette wasn't able to hear him as she gave no response whatsoever. He gasped as he felt a hand with long nails wrap around his cock, the nails scratching his skin and causing him to jump. Instead of starting to pump, the fingers wrapped around his cock were replaced with Marinette's wet pussy as she sank down onto his shaft with no warning._

 _He was unable to control the moan that escaped him at the feeling of her walls wrapping around his cock. Something still felt off, but what little reason he possessed was quickly deserting Adrien as she lifted back up again, almost causing his shaft to fall out. She slammed back onto him with another loud moan but Adrien only felt pain. A sharp strike to his heart as his body battled his mind. Pain like something about this experience was very, very wrong. Marinette had never rolled her hips like that when they had sex before, she had never rode him the way she was currently doing, hell, even the way she was shouting his name seemed wrong. Unfortunately, his body was a great deal less picky about who he was having sex with and he could feel the pressure building at the base of his spine as she continued to ride his cock._

" _Ah.. AH.. Adrikins, I'm going to cum again. Cum with me… inside me. I need… All.. of.. You. Adrikins! Ahhhh-" Just as he was about to fall over the edge and join her, Chloe's nickname for him finally registered through his alcohol induced fog and he shoved her off of his cock just in time for the pressure in his spine to release. He shuddered at how close he had been to spilling inside of her with no protection whatsoever. He went to stand up from the bed, determined to not look in Chloe's direction, but one of her hands reached out and grabbed his arm. "Where are you going? Why didn't you listen to me and release inside me like I said? Don't you love me, Adrien?" He could hear the pout in Chloe's tone and so he turned his head to look at her cooly. He had no idea how he had been fooled with such a poor imitation of the love of his life. He pulled his arm from her grasp._

" _I love MARINETTE. Not some wannabe that has to pretend to be someone else to get someone to sleep with them. I don't know what you're playing at, but I don't want to ever see your face again, Chloe Bourgeois." His low tone was nearly a growl as he stood from the bed and grabbed his clothes before heading into the bathroom to clean himself up and get dressed. When he emerged, he could see Chloe once again in the overstuffed armchair, all pretenses dropped. She had taken off the wig and was dressed in a silky robe._

 _She sneered at him, mocking him. "Leaving so soon? Sure you don't want to wait around for an encore? It seems you're desperate enough to. I hope you have to tell her what we did one day. That you were a willing participant and how much your body enjoyed it. And I hope she hates you for it."_

 _He merely walked out the door without looking back._

* * *

Adrien couldn't look at Marinette after he finished. A heavy silence blanketed the room, and Adrien felt the weight of it pressing down on him like a physical thing as it drug on and on. He could still feel Marinette in front of him, so he at least knew she hadn't abandoned him yet. But he couldn't help but feel like he was on borrowed time. That the next moment she would tell him to get out. That she would get up and leave. That she'd-

His head snapped up as he felt Marinette start to tremble. She had her head down, one hand covering her mouth. His heart sank as he realized that he had made her cry. Here she was, fresh out of the hospital after her whole ordeal with Luka, pregnant and exhausted, and he just had to bring up the past again. Remind her that she had left him. It seemed like the past was going to haunt them no matter how much they fought for happiness.

And then she threw her head back and laughed. Great peals of laughter that caused the bed to shake before she managed to contain herself. Adrien was totally dumbfounded. What the hell was there to laugh about? His jaw dropped, mind totally blank. He couldn't connect the story he just told to anything that was remotely amusing. Just when he was about to ask her what was so funny, she suddenly leaned forward and put a finger underneath his chin. She pushed until his mouth was closed, and then pressed a chaste kiss to his lips.

"We really are a pair of idiots, aren't we?" Her voice was quiet after the loud laughter, but he could still detect the edge of laughter in her tone. When he remained silent, she sighed and explained further. "Chaton, I know you are probably sitting there worrying about me leaving. I'm not. I fought too damn hard to return to your side to leave you now. I know you don't believe it's my fault-" he tried to interrupt only to find her finger against his lips. "Stop. It _is._ And I've accepted that. You never would've been in that position if I hadn't have left. But, I don't think we would've ever appreciated each other half as much as we do now if we didn't make the mistakes we made along the way. I'm sorry that Chloe played you that way. I'm certain it was on purpose and that it happened exactly the way she wanted it to. You aren't to blame for being a pawn in her games. She's wanted you for years,"she slid her hand up to cup his face as she looked him in the eye, "and when I stepped out of your life, she saw it as her opportunity to pounce. And she took it. I don't blame you for trying to close the gaping hole, because _I did the same thing._ So, now that we have both gotten the past out of our systems, lets do each other a favor and _leave it in the past_. I love you, all of you, and that includes your mistakes and your faults and everything in between." She tried to let the truth of her words ring out in her tone to ease his fears, but she could still see that he was wallowing. She reached out for his hands, taking them and placing them on her rounded stomach. "Adrien Agreste, you listen to me right now. This baby will need his or her father to be strong, to accept responsibility for his actions in the past, and to be willing to look towards the future without regret. Can you do that?" Her tone was sharp, cutting through the fog of regret in Adrien's mind. He knew exactly what she was trying to do. Knew that she wasn't trying to be harsh or talk at him. She knew him so well that she had learned long ago how to combat how lost Adrien could get in his mind.

With a crooked smile, he put his index finger and middle finger next to his temple and saluted before saying, "Yes Ma'am!" He pulled her close, resting his forehead against hers as he said in a softer tone, "Thank you, Mari."

"Always, Chaton. I'm always going to be here for you. I'll never leave your side again, you can count on that. Let's get some sleep so we can start the journey for _the one ring_ in the morning." She brushed her lips against his and he pulled her closer with a laugh before settling them down in the bed.

He pulled her back to his chest, draping his arm across her bump as he thought, _I'll never let you go, my Lady. No matter what my father has planned._


	19. Miraculous

Hey guys! Sorry about the long delay between updates... My life has hit a rough patch lately, and it has really affected my motivation to write. Both of my kids ended up in the hospital during that time, and my morale was pretty low. But, I have to keep on keeping on, and I just have to remember that writing helps my depression. I also threw myself into a new fandom (My Hero Academia, ya'll need to watch it if you haven't already) to take my mind off of things, but that's neither here nor there. I won't promise that the next update will be soon, but I am slowly getting back into a better mindset for writing, and I haven't lost my passion for this story or where we have planned for it to go. So I can absolutely assure you that I am in no way, shape or form abandoning this story or its wonderful readers. Both of the other co-authors have been amazing friends to me, encouraging me and lifting me up in the times my brain went to dark places.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter and accept my apologies!

* * *

He slammed his hands down on the table in the dimly lit room. _I'm surrounded by incompetent assholes_ , he thought to himself. Maybe it was finally time to get his hands dirty. It seemed like the girl had an extraordinary amount of good luck, narrowly escaping his clutches each time he let his guard down for even a moment. At some point she would need to be punished for evading him so well.

He stared at the wall in front of him, where a spiderweb of string and Post It notes, all centered around an old photo of Marinette and Adrien, occupied most of the blank wall. Adrien's college schedule was posted, denoting his side of Gabriel's obsession, along with Marinette's job offer from M. Laurent to represent her side. Her string crossed with his son's far too often for his taste. Luka's picture was tacked up off to the side, pictures of his family branched around him. They had been employed by him for years, his most promising students in the killing arts before the tragedy with Luka's mom. He had managed to salvage Luka, watching from afar as he grew colder and more calculating. More like himself. And now he was gone. He had felt his death as his power weakened by another margin. There was always a chance that he was still alive, that he had just cloaked his power, but Gabriel had his doubts. He had felt his power peak during a heady mix of pain and pleasure, only to be snuffed out a short time later. He wouldn't know for certain until his eyes in the area checked in though. After suffering the loss of Adrien's power to the girl, he couldn't afford any more slip ups. He could only assume that their true powers had awakened by now as well. Luka hadn't checked in before his passing, so Gabriel was back to square one pinpointing his son and his girlfriend's location.

A knock on the door pulled him out of his infuriating musings. He slammed a finger onto the first in a series of buttons that were built into the deceptively plain looking table before he turned his back on the string laced wall. This particular button was wired to his state of the art security system, and activated a display next to the only door in the room, one that he turned to view with a sigh. A camera feed popped up on the wall next to the door, revealing that Chloe Bourgeois stood on the other side of the door. He sighed again and pressed another button to grant her entry before turning back around.

She heard the click of the lock releasing and she opened the door, pulling it towards her and slipping in. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting in the room, looking at the back of the powerful and cold man in front of her. The man who had given her another chance after her father's failures. She sauntered over to him, her heels clicking across the dark wood flooring. He hadn't turned around when she entered, so she slid her hands up his back before trailing them down his arms. He was lean and tall, much like herself. He also craved power, much like herself. They had been dancing around each other for years, never publicly together but occupying the same circles regardless. He was the definition of dangerous, and Chloe had never been able to resist stroking that danger higher. She pressed her breasts against his back as her arms wrapped around his waist. She couldn't see his facial expression yet, but he hadn't pushed her away so she took it as a sign to continue.

Her hands skimmed over the bulge in his pants before cupping him from the outside. _So you ARE in the mood to play_ , she thought to herself wickedly. She wasted no time unbuckling his silver belt and pulling his zip down, easing his hard length outside of his pants before dropping her hands. She walked around him, still not looking in his face as she crouched down. Her six inch stilettos gave her the height she needed to draw close even while crouched and she leaned forward and drew her tongue from the base of his rigid length to the tip. She flicked the tip with her tongue before drawing him into her mouth. She wrapped her lips around his head and hollowed her cheeks as she swallowed him down. His hand buried itself in her hair, she felt only a moment of triumph before he started thrusting into her mouth harshly. To her own credit, she never faltered, taking each punishing thrust down her throat with no outward sign of discomfort. It would've been wasted on the man in front of her, and likely would've just pissed him off anyway. Instead, she concentrated on palming his balls, stroking the flame between them higher still. He pulled away from her, removing himself from her mouth while simultaneously yanking her up by her hair. He spun her around and forced her down across the tabletop. He pushed her dress up and pressed a hand against her spine to hold her down. She wasn't wearing any underwear, so he slammed into her without any further ado. Before she had a chance to cry out at the forced entry, he started a bruising pace. There was nothing she could do except cling to the table as he pounded his frustration into her tight pussy.

He gazed at the cluttered wall as he thrust into the girl below him, completely ignoring her squeals as his long cock rammed into her. His eyes remained trained on one particular photo, one that Adrien had posted to his Instagram right before she left for Milan. Marinette was in a emerald green halter top that accented her chest, which was pushed out as she bent over in laughter. Short white shorts barely covered any skin and modeled her wide hips, the barest hint of her ass on display from her position. The back of a hand was pressed to her mouth, doing little to stifle what were obviously out of control giggles. The other arm was wrapped around her stomach, holding onto her side in her hysterics. Her bluebell eyes were sparkling into the camera, making it appear that she was laughing at him. How he wished it was her underneath him laid out on this table. Her that his length was ramming into, her that was being reminded of her place beneath him. He wanted to break her, to destroy every good thing in her life and bathe himself in her blood and tears. Just picturing the things he would make her do to him brought him to his release. _One day soon, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I will have you exactly where I want you._ He tucked himself back into his underwear and adjusted his pants back the way they were before the girl beneath him had interrupted his planning session. "What do you want, Chloe?"

The girl was still catching her breath, but she caught the dangerous edge in his voice and pushed herself up and off the table immediately. "I wanted to let you know that Marinette has been released from the hospital in Loire. Due to my connections with the staff there, I now have their home address from the paperwork. It is in a smaller area of the city, on the outskirts but not out of the populated area. It is likely that Luka followed Marinette to a nearby farmers market that she seems to frequent. There was an abandoned building that burned to the ground the day after Adrien was released from the hospital, it is likely that it was the scene of Luka's attack and death. Adrien-"

"Stop telling me things I already know. I need _new_ intel, Ms. Bourgeois, otherwise you are just here to get in my way. I'm not in the mood for distractions today." His cold voice cut through her detached rambling. Her mouth snapped shut and she simply eyed him for a moment before continuing.

"Well, Mr. Agreste, it seems like you officially have a future daughter-in-law. Congrats and all that." Chloe couldn't hide her smirk as she watched the older man's face as the new information sank in. His eyes narrowed at her, and his hands clenched into fists at his side.

"Continue."

"Adrien and Marinette were spotted shopping for an engagement ring at a prominent jewelry store in Loire. After some bribing, I've acquired the design they purchased. I will e-mail it to you if you are interested. I also was able to 'convince' the shop employee to allow me to review the security footage, and I think there is something you need to know. I didn't think to review Marinette's hospital records until after I saw the footage, but once I did it was confirmed. I emailed you a snippet of the footage right before I knocked."

Her blatant refusal to just spit out what information she had was a red flag for him. His anger spiked as he pressed yet another button along the side of the table. A display appeared in the same spot as before, only instead of a camera feed it was his computer display. Quickly walking forward, he tapped on it a few times before selecting the e-mail at the top of his inbox list. A file was downloaded a second later, but before he could press it, a hand gripped his upper arm.

"You might want to watch it on a bigger screen. It can be hard to miss." She stepped back as he shrugged her off. While there was some truth to her statement, really she just wanted him to have a full screen view of Adrien's ultimate deception. She wanted to watch his face as he realized that Adrien had already taken more steps away from him than he had realized. She wanted to watch his plans crumble. Just like hers had.

He hesitated, clearly there was something quite important in the footage that he needed to know, but he couldn't understand what that could possibly be. And what minor detail would need to be so carefully scrutinized that he needed a larger screen? Dread began to curl around his heart, its icy fingers licking at his insides as he clicked the final thing. The video started on the adjacent wall, encompassing the full surface. A mundane jewelry store was displayed, Adrien and Marinette's backs were to the camera as they talked with an employee. He recognized his sons embarrassingly unruly hair, and it appeared that Marinette was wearing the same emerald halter top as in the picture on his wall. She appeared to be a bit thicker, but then again with all the hiding it wasn't like she could be moving around a lot either. His patience was quickly wearing thin, there was nothing out of the ordinary about this. He was just about to turn his wrath on Chloe, when Adrien and Marinette shifted. Their profiles were thrown into relief as they made to exit the shop, and in an instant he understood. His gaze zeroed in on Marinette, who was walking slightly ahead of Adrien. And he understood why it appeared that she had gained weight. In fact, he understood exactly _why_ Chloe had been the one to bring him this footage. She wouldn't trust anyone else with it, nor would she allow anyone the chance to take credit for the discovery of this monumental disaster displayed on his wall. Without looking, he slammed a finger onto the smaller display, pausing the video. His fists curled and uncurled at his sides as he struggled to maintain his cool demeanor. He needed to _think_ , not come apart at the seams over a new development. "Get out."

"But-!" Chloe tried to protest, but his patience had reached its limit. He grabbed her arm as he slammed the button to unlock the door, and then he dragged her across the room and hurled her out into the hallway beyond. He didn't glance back or acknowledge her in any way as the door slammed shut once more. She pulled herself up off the ground, glad no one had been nearby to witness her abrupt dismissal. As she stood, she heard a sound that caused a smile to grace her wicked features despite her embarrassment. A roar from the inside of the room, one that would scare any other person, but one that was only music to her ears. _I hope you're satisfied, Gabriel. He's well and truly beyond your reach now._

Inside the room, after he disposed of the obnoxious woman who reeked smugness, his eyes continued to glare at the frozen image in front of him. He raised his right hand and curled it into a fist once more. He concentrated as he felt his rage battering his body. A series of popping sounds rang throughout the room, and then he threw his head back and screamed. Purple light covered him for a moment, before it dissipated and revealed Gabriel's true form. No one else knew about this power, no one except Nathalie. The maelstrom of emotions running through him fueled it, but none more so than his rage. And the image in front of him infuriated him. With blinding speed, he was in front of the image, whipping his fist back before slamming it into the wall right where the still image of Marinette Dupain-Cheng resided. Right where her unborn child, his unborn _grandchild_ could be seen. Cracks spiderwebbed out from the impact of his fist, but it wasn't enough. She was still there, smiling. Smiling at his son, his worthless son that refused to be shaped into something useful.

His first impulse was to order his operatives to attack, to do whatever necessary to bring her to him so that he could wipe the smile off of her face. But running recklessly into situations had never been his style. He needed to plan everything out carefully to ensure that all things worked out in his favor. He wanted to be able to savor his victory over the woman in the picture, and to hurt her with the most devastating effect possible. While his anger still raged, his logical mind began to _plan._

She was still shaken from her encounter with Luka, so it was more than likely that she would still be on high alert. And his son would be annoyingly clingy following her attack, especially with her being pregnant. No, he needed to lull them both into a false sense of security, and make them relax their guard. That would be the only way he would be able to get close enough to snatch her. He didn't notice it when his power faded, lost in his musings on how best to approach these new developments. After a moment, he flexed his fist as he removed it from the wall and walked back over to his desk. He picked up a phone and dialed, waiting less than a second before the call connected and a woman's face popped up on the display next to the door.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Nathalie, clear my schedule. I need to get out of the country, and I need Adrien to believe that I have backed off of trying to run his life. Make sure it happens."

"Right away."

And then she was gone.

Marinette paused, the hum of the sewing machine dying down as she pulled away from it. She straightened up, rubbing her lower back tiredly as she strained to listen into the silence of their house. After a moment, another round of knocking sounded on the front door, and she started towards it. Tikki accompanied her, floating alongside her head as she made her way down the long hallway leading towards the front door. Marinette's footsteps were light as she approached it, not wanting to alert whoever was on the other side of the door to her presence until she was sure they didn't mean her any harm. She hated that she had to be so paranoid, hated that even in her own home she felt unsure of her safety, but it couldn't be helped. It had only been three weeks since Luka had found her, and the memory was still too fresh to not be cautious. Adrien had only just now left her at home alone once again, she didn't want to do anything to worry him further. She stood on her tiptoes and looked through the peephole Adrien had installed right after she came home from the hospital. In that moment, she was extremely grateful for her overprotective fiance and his thoughtfulness.

A older man, obviously of asian origin, was standing on the porch. He wore a bright red hawaiian shirt with a pattern of white flowers, with khaki colored pants. As if he knew she was looking at him, he turned his face up to stare right at her. A chill raced down her spine at the scrutinizing look he wore, even though he couldn't possibly know that she was looking at him in that particular moment.

"Who is it, Marinette?" Tikki's voice was a worried whisper near her ear, as if she could feel the unsettled feeling tearing its way through her holder. Marinette looked at her with an expression that she couldn't quite place.

"It's…. An old man. I've never seen him before. He is wearing the most obnoxious red hawaiian shirt…" Marinette was rambling nervously, trying to figure out what to do with her current situation. Something about her description piqued Tikki's interest, and she lifted herself higher to peek through the peephole herself.

Tikki's gasp cut through Marinette's swirling thoughts, and then suddenly Tikki was flipping the lock on the door and turning the knob. " _Tikki!"_ she hissed, " _What are you doing?! We don't know who this man is at all, why are you-"_

"Marinette! I know exactly who this man is, you must let him in, quickly! There's got to be a reason he's here, I'm sure of it!" Tikki continued to pull against Marinette's hand holding the door shut. Marinette hesitated another moment and then steeled herself. If Tikki trusts this person, then she must as well.

"Sorry it took me awhile to get to the door. Please, come in." Marinette was allowing the man entry before she knew it, watching as the man slowly made his way into the house. Tikki whooped and rushed up to the man's face to press a hug into his cheek. His stern expression melted away and he smiled brightly.

"Tikki! It's been so long, my friend! How _are_ you?"

Marinette stood awkwardly in the entryway, listening to Tikki jabber rapidly to the old man and him fire questions at her like they were old friends. For all she knew, they were. After all, Tikki had only been with her for a short time in the grand scope of things. Tikki and Plagg had only briefly mentioned their past holders at times, but Marinette had never thought to ask in depth about their pasts either. She had just immediately accepted Tikki's presence in her life, not questioning why or how or what happened in the past when they arrived. She resolved to fix that oversight as soon as possible.

The older man watched the young bluenette out of the corner of his eye as he chatted with Tikki, nearly able to hear her inner chunnering himself. He assessed her quietly, thinking Tikki had picked yet another perfect match for Chat Noir. The girl exuded a quiet strength, obvious intelligence, but no trace of any arrogance to be found. She was small but he could see the fire lurking just under the surface, the righteous desire to _help_. He watched as she seemed to come to a decision, her face smoothing from its concerned crease. Yes, Tikki did very well this time. "Where is Chat Noir?"

Marinette looked up at him in surprise. Her eyes narrowed as she debated on whether she should respond as if she didn't know exactly who he was referring to. It was obvious this man knew something about their recent superpowers, but was he someone looking to capitalize on that, or to help them? Marinette decided she needed more information before she could form a concrete opinion in that regard. "I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I am the only one home at this time." She bowed as her mother had taught her growing up, showing respect for the older man while still dodging his question.

When she raised her head, her eyes were drawn to the smirk stretching across his face. "Nicely done. However, there is not much time to waste. I can assure you that I am here merely to assist you, to help you understand your powers and the responsibilities that come with them. Do you have somewhere we can sit and maybe discuss this over a cup of tea? I would prefer Chat Noir to be here to avoid having to repeat the conversation, but if he is teaching at this time, I suppose there is nothing I can do about it." The older man gazed around the large entryway, taking in the homey yet modern style of the newest Miraculous holders. He shuffled over to a large framed photograph hanging on the wall. Marinette was wearing white capris and a red and black spotted short sleeved blouse that was pulled up and tied around her middle. Adrien was standing behind and slightly to the side of her, his arms wrapped around her stomach. He wore a plain white unbuttoned shirt with his signature black shirt underneath, khaki cargo shorts completing his casual attire. Marinette had one arm laid over his wrapped around her, the other was cupping the side of his face. Both were facing the camera with soft smiles. Next to them were Alya and Nino, who were making goofy smiles at the camera. Alya had an elbow against Nino's shoulder, leaning into him. She wore an off the shoulders flowy black top that cut off at her midriff and blue jean cut off shorts. Nino had his headphones around his neck, a blue t-shirt and khaki cargo pants on. One hand was behind his head and his smile was too cheesy to be sincere. He was the only one not looking at the camera, his head turned slightly to look down at the girl posing next to him. None of them had shoes on, the sand of whatever beach they were on littering their feet and legs. The man took time to look at each face, gleaning much just from that one photo. He was certain that the choices made were the right decisions. Now he just had to convey that to the suspicious girl observing him.

Marinette watched as he reached up and traced his hand along the frame of the photo he was inspecting, fairly certain he had no idea that he was doing it. After another long moment of watching him, she cleared her throat. "The kitchen is this way, sir. Please have a seat while I prepare the tea and then we can retire to the living room." Marinette started walking towards the kitchen, smiling when she heard the older man shuffling behind her. When she reached the table, she pulled out a chair for him and gestured for him to make himself comfortable while she went about making the tea. She was thankful her mother had passed on the art of tea making to her, as Adrien had no experience with anything of the sort. She had always enjoyed the quiet afternoons she would spend with her mother, listening to stories of her youth in a different country and the different way she grew up. She relaxed as she prepared their snack, adding some pastries to the tray containing the steaming teapot and cups. She carried the tray into the living room and set it down on the coffee table, taking a seat on the couch before leaning over and pouring the tea into each cup and placing each on a saucer. She also put a couple of pastries on each plate she brought before placing a plate in front of each of them. She gingerly took a sip of tea and set it back down, looking at the older man expectantly now that there was nothing left to do but talk.

"Thank you, young lady. I expected no less from Tikki's chosen, you are an excellent hostess. My name is Fu. I am the last living guardian of the Miraculous. What do you know about your powers?" Fu took a sip of his tea and hummed in pleasure.

Marinette opened her mouth to respond, but Tikki interrupted before she could begin. "Master! His name is _Master_ Fu, and he is also the holder of the Turtle Miraculous. Where is Wayzz, Master? Oh, Marinette, I'm so excited for you, this must mean-"

"That's enough, Tikki. Let's not confuse her with unnecessary details before we cover the basics. Wayzz is currently upset with me, so he isn't here." He waved off Tikki's concern about Wayzz and focused on Marinette. "Please, young Marinette, tell me all that Tikki has told you."

Marinette repeated the few things that Tikki had told her over their time together, along with what she told her when she first appeared. There wasn't really much to tell, so it was no time at all before she was back to awkwardly waiting for the older gentleman to explain the reason for his visit in more detail.

Master Fu stroked his beard and stared down into his nearly empty teacup. There was so much ground to cover in such a short amount of time, Tikki didn't seem to explain the entire scope of her powers, just the bare minimum. Granted, there had been extenuating circumstances that could have prevented her from divulging the full story regarding the Miraculous, and Tikki had always been selective about what was shared because she was worried about the weight of expectations placed on such young shoulders. But, things were about to start in earnest, and soon the young people would not have the luxury of time to correct their ignorance. "It seems that Tikki has done you a disservice during this peaceful time. We have much to catch you up on if you are to be prepared for the future. I assume that Plagg has been as unhelpful as usual?"

Tikki's face fell and her antenna drooped at the gentle chastising tone in her Master's voice. It wasn't that she _wouldn't_ tell Marinette, she just hadn't prioritized it with everything that had happened. Knowing the full scope of her powers wouldn't have helped Marinette against Luka, and Adrien had been protecting her zealously since she was released from the hospital, so Tikki just assumed that there wasn't an urgent need to explain. Obviously, it was a wrong decision.

"Don't beat yourself up over it, Tikki. You haven't had the easiest of start ups with this holder, and the timing of her kidnapping was awful. I'm not disappointed, I just want to rectify the oversight and move on. We need to get young Marinette and Adrien up to snuff as quickly as possible." Master Fu stroked the top of Tikki's head as he spoke, silently showing that he wasn't mad at her decision. She perked up and smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes quite yet.

Marinette watched them and felt bad for Tikki. It wasn't Tikki's fault that Lukass had hunted her down and kidnapped her, sending her to the hospital where Tikki was forced to remain hidden and silent for most of the day. Her life had been a whirlwind the past few months, with no time to stop and relax. A thought occurred to her and she looked back at Master Fu. "That's the second time you've mentioned something about the future. What exactly are you expecting to happen? Is that the reason our powers awoke? Whatever is getting ready to happen?"

"I see you have a keen mind. Yes, that is why your powers have awakened. A great evil is coming. In fact, you have already encountered the first tendrils of it personally, Ms. Dupain-Cheng. Paris is getting ready to need protectors, to bring the people a sense of peace and justice in the midst of the chaos that evil causes."

"But if you are already aware of the evil and who is causing it, why can't you stop it before it appears?" Marinette's hair was standing on end, foreboding running through her blood as her fists clenched in her lap.

"On the contrary, I do not know _who_ is the mastermind behind the events getting ready to be set into motion, I only know the events that have happened so far and the patterns I've learned over my years of study. You see, I studied at a temple in Tibet with many other people to become a Guardian, a protector of the superhuman powers granted by kwamis, small gods possessing different abilities and attributes that can enhance a person's physical being. Not all Miraculous are made the same, each one possessing different powers and skill sets that are unique to the kwami. But, there are two more powerful than the rest. The original Miraculous, the ultimate power; so powerful it was forced apart to prevent the destruction of the reality we live in. These two kwami are the oldest, have the most experience and power, and are the only ones that require their holders to be _born_ with the power. All other Miraculous are given to worthy holders, carefully scrutinized by Guardians to ensure they will use the power they are given for good and justice reasons. At least, they would have been in the past. Now it is just me making those decisions. And I think you can guess which two Miraculous that I speak of." Master Fu watched the young woman carefully, gauging how she was reacting to the news.

"I… I was _born_ to be Ladybug? That can't be right?! I'm just Marinette! I've never been strong or powerful, I'm a klutz! I could see how Adrien would be an amazing superhero, he's so good at heart, but…" Marinette jumped up and started to pace around the spacious living room, a hand gripping her chin as she lost herself in her whirling thoughts.

"You have a tattoo, correct? One that showed up out of the blue, that you've never been able to show anyone or explain how it came to be or what it meant? And Adrien has one that showed up at the same time as yours, correct?" Master Fu gave Marinette a small knowing smile as she stopped pacing and stared at him with her mouth hanging open.

"Our tattoos are the key?"

"Tikki and Plagg have to be very selective who they chose to wield their powers. They must wait for souls that possess a certain spark, a unique trait that sets them apart from everyone else. When they find that spark, they watch it cultivate as you grow from childhood to adolescence. If you are deemed worthy, they place a mark on your skin to prepare your body for the magical and physical strain that comes with wielding their powers. They do this by injecting a small fraction of their powers into you. It is why you were able to resist Luka's magic, and survive all that he put you through. And it is why Adrien was able to find you so easily once you returned to Paris. Tikki was lending you her strength without you ever realizing it. But, the way the mark manifests is entirely your own design. It is tailored to _your_ personality and quirks, not some predetermined formula. Please do not think you don't have a choice in this destiny of yours. If you choose to walk away, to reject the powers, no harm will come to you. You would simply become normal, like anyone else. Tikki would fade from existence until the next spark appeared. I know this is a lot to process in such a short amount of time. I wish I had more time to teach you all of the ins and outs of your power. But I can see that you've already formed a strong bond with Tikki, as I imagine Adrien has with Plagg. Plagg can be a nuisance, but he has a good heart underneath all of that sarcasm."

"If I were to reject it, what would happen to Adrien?" Marinette worried her bottom lip as she waited for Master Fu's reply. She didn't have any intention of giving up her powers, but it was still good to have the knowledge.

"Adrien would be able to keep his powers, but they would be severely unbalanced. You see, Tikki and Plagg are two halves of the same whole. They are two sides of the same coin. Gods of Creation and Destruction. Without Tikki to keep his destructive powers in check, Plagg would either go rogue or slowly wither away until there was nothing left. It would depend on the strength of the holder he has chosen the path that he would go down. It has been a very long time since that last happened though."

"And the same would happen to me if he rejected Plagg?"

Master Fu nodded.

Marinette stood straighter and clenched her fists, her voice filled with conviction as she voiced her decision. "I have no intention of rejecting this. If this is the way my life was meant to be, then I have no regrets. I will accept this power and the responsibility that comes with it, and I will do my best to be a pillar of peace to the citizens of the city I love. I will fight off this evil that is coming so that everyone can have happy, normal lives." She brought her hands up and placed them on her stomach, looking down at the bulge that housed her unborn child. When she spoke next, her tone was softer, but the conviction was still unmistakeable. "I will make sure my child has a safe place to call home."

Master Fu's eyes widened as her last statement sunk in. "You…. you're pregnant? With Chat Noir's child?"

Marinette looked up sheepishly and put one hand behind her head to rub the back of her neck, a bad habit she had picked up from her fiance. She nodded.

This time it was Master Fu that stood and began to pace. She watched as his brow furrowed and his hands folded behind his back. "I… had no idea. I must admit I'm not sure how to proceed from here. While Tikki and Plagg are two halves of the same whole, sometimes that means that their powers aren't exactly compatible in one body. Sometimes traits can carry over, and sometimes nothing at all happens. There are so many unknowns…." He turned back to Marinette, who's expression was panicked.

"Oh god… Did we do something wrong? Is the baby going to be okay? What does that mean, the compatibility thing?! We didn't know at the time, everything was so brand new…"

Master Fu strode over to her and reached to place his hands on her stomach, stopping a hairsbreadth away and looking at her face for permission before touching her. She nodded and he closed the minute distance, closing his eyes and bowing his head as his hands rested on her stomach. Silence stretched on for what seemed like forever to Marinette, and she was just about to lose her mind when Master Fu removed his hands from her and took a step back. He looked at her with an unreadable expression, causing her panic to rise even further.

"It is still too early to tell how much power your child will inherit from you, if any at all. I can feel something, but it is too small right now to tell. We will have to monitor the situation to make sure you and the baby remain safe and healthy. Because you are pregnant, that puts you at a severe disadvantage against the approaching evil. Tikki will need to spend some time with me, training to make sure she can protect you magically as much as possible when you are in your suit. I think that, given the situation, it would be best if we also had some extra help. I will see to that, though. For now, it's time I showed you the miraculous."

The old man went back to the front door, where he had placed a plain suitcase upon entering the house. He retrieved it and returned to the living room, placing the suitcase on the coffee table and opening it up. A line of plain black boxes filled the inside, all with the same weird red intricate design on the top. Marinette stared at the boxes, noting that there were seven boxes in each row. Master Fu selected the first two on the top row and set them on the table before closing the suitcase back up. Marinette leaned forward, feeling like a magnetic force was drawing her towards the boxes as she reached a hand towards them before catching herself and pulling it back. Master Fu chuckled and picked up one of them, popping it open to reveal a pair of plain black earrings against a ladybug themed cloth backing.

"These are Ladybug's earrings. Wear them all the time, and when you transform, they will change to be spotted just like their namesake. They will give you the power to use Tikki's _Lucky Charm._ Maybe it's better if you transform now, and then I can walk you through all the enhancements they provide. Please tell me that your ears are pierced."

Marinette laughed, nodding and accepting the box offered to her with only a slightly shaking hand. She quickly placed them in each ear and stood up. Tikki floated up beside her and nodded as Marinette's determined gaze fell on her, and then Marinette was calling out her transformation and pink light was washing over her. Master Fu stood and stared in reverence, taking in the young confident woman in front of him. Granted, her pregnancy was more pronounced in the skintight suit Tikki had her in so that would have to be adjusted to not give their enemies a target, and he was sure that she hadn't had time to get used to her yo yo yet, but all in all she was still a sight to behold. "Okay, pull out your yo yo and show me the different things you can do with it so far. Then-"

The front door opened and shut, and then Adrien was in front of Ladybug, placing himself between her and Master Fu. "I don't know what's going on, Bugaboo, or why you are transformed. But I'm here now." Adrien slipped into a slight crouch with his arms at the ready, eying the old man standing calmly in front of him.

"Silly kitty, this is Master Fu. He's here to explain more about our powers." Ladybug wrapped her arms around Adrien's waist and stood on her tiptoes to place a quick peck on his cheek. "I had just transformed so that he could show me the new upgrades from my earrings." She lowered her voice to a whisper, her breath caressing his ear as she spoke so low only he could hear her. "But I'll show my appreciation for your valiant defending of my virtue later." A slight shudder ran down Adrien's spine at the promise in her voice.

Adrien cleared his throat and straightened up, sticking his hand out to shake Master Fu's. "Sorry about that, I've become a little paranoid lately. I hope you can forgive my rudeness. My name is Adrien Agreste, and I'm sure you already know I'm Chat Noir." His voice was slightly sheepish as they shook hands and parted.

"No need to apologize, Chat Noir. You have every right to be wary of strangers given your recent circumstances. That is actually the reason I am here, to ensure you both are the most prepared you can be for what is to come. Let me catch you up with what I've already told Ladybug, and then we'll have you transform and start going over the improvements." Master Fu turned back to the table and picked up the other black box before handing it to Adrien. As he did, he started to explain all the things he had already discussed with Marinette. She jumped in from time to time and added things she knew he would be considering, like what would happen without the other and why they were chosen.

By the time they stopped talking and his questions had run out, he was wearing the ring and Plagg was floating next to him looking disgruntled at being woken up from his afternoon nap. Plagg had looked surprised at Master Fu's presence when he was awoken, but then spent the rest of the conversation with his arms crossed acting like he didn't care. Master Fu was used to his attitude, so it didn't bother him unduly, but Tikki was appalled at the blatant lack of respect Plagg was showing towards their Master. She caught his eye and gave him a look promising that they were going to have a conversation about his attitude later on. He rolled his eyes.

"Alright, Plagg. _Claws out!_ " Adrien punched the air and green light flashed through the room before Chat Noir appeared. Adrien looked down at the ring he was wearing on his right hand ring finger. The once plain silver ring was now as black as his suit, with a neon green paw print on the face of the ring.

"The first thing you both need to know is that once you use your special powers, you will then only have a few minutes until your transformations drop. Because these special attacks are so powerful, it causes Tikki and Plagg's energy to start flagging as soon as you use it. The toes of your paw print on your ring, and the spots on Ladybugs earrings, will disappear one by one until time runs out. Each time a spot disappears, it will beep to let you know. You must always be aware of how much time you have remaining, as you cannot afford for anyone to know your true identities. Chat Noir, your special power is called _Cataclysm_ and will destroy anything your right hand touches after you call it up. Marinette, do you have a sheet of paper lying around he can demonstrate on?" Marinette left the room to go fetch the paper Master Fu requested, and he took this time to warn Adrien. "Chat Noir, this is the very essence of the power of destruction. The very essence of Plagg's power. You must never use this attack on a living person, for they would surely disintegrate at your touch just like the paper. Even Ladybug is not immune to this power, so you must exercise extreme caution. That being said, do not be intimidated by this power. Plagg chose you for a reason, and has entrusted this responsibility to you because he believes in you."

Adrien stared at him, awe and terror warring with each other on his face as he grew more alarmed at the grave warning. Master Fu shuffled forward and patted his right hand. Adrien's breathing started to quicken as his mind continued to race with the implications at all that could go wrong with just a single touch of his power. "I'm not sure I'm the right person for this, Master. It sounds like this is a very precise power, one that requires a good deal of concentration and strategizing to use. When it comes to battle, my main focus is always going to be protecting Marinette. I tend to lose my head when she's endangered… I'm not sure I'm responsible enough for this destructive power." Adrien thought back to Luka, and the way he tortured him before finally ending his miserable life. He would've drawn it out even more if Marinette hadn't needed medical attention. He could be vindictive and petty when it came to people hurting Marinette, and he wasn't sure that he _wouldn't_ use Cataclysm to kill someone. Sure, he wouldn't use it against an innocent soul, but he wasn't sure he could hold back against someone that hurt Marinette. He could be blinded by his emotions at times, and act without thinking. Marinette needed someone with a cool head to have her back if there was going to be a fight. But the thought of some _other_ man protecting his soon-to-be wife and their unborn child made him sick to his stomach.

"Adrien, you are the _purrfect_ person for this. You're intelligent, fearless, fiercely protective and loyal, you genuinely care about people, and you have an amazing sense of justice. Trust me when I say that there is no one more suited for the God of Destruction's power than you. Besides," Marinette revealed herself and laced her fingers through the fingers on his right hand. "No one can make awful cat puns like you can."

Adrien smiled at her, still unsure of himself but appreciative of her vote of confidence all the same. "Thanks, my Lady. I think." Both of them startled when Master Fu let out a loud belly laugh, looking at each other and then at the older man.

"I've never heard a pep talk quite like that one! I look forward to hearing all of your cat puns, Adrien. Seems like Plagg really _did_ know exactly what he was doing when he picked you." Master Fu said through his laughs, wiping tears of merriment from his eye.

"Don't encourage him, Master!" Marinette shook her head in mock admonishment.

Adrien decided that if these people could believe that he was worthy of wielding the power given to him, he would make sure to make them proud to put their trust in him.

"Okay, let's go over everything that you and your equipment can do."

They spent the next hour and a half going over all the different ways to use Chat's baton and Ladybug's yo yo. Adrien, being the professor that he was, took extensive notes on each thing so that they could study outside of the suits as well. Chat used his Cataclysm and Fu explained how Lucky Charm and Ladybug's Miraculous Cure worked. They set a time for Tikki to visit Master Fu to begin the training needed to protect Marinette and her unborn child. After they were as prepared as they thought they could possibly be, Master Fu started to get ready to leave.

"What do you know about the upcoming battle?" Chat had noticed that anytime he or Ladybug asked questions regarding the future, Fu would dodge or redirect the conversation. Ladybug didn't seem to mind, but it was starting to really bother Chat that the man knew things he wouldn't give a straight answer about. Now that all the other topics of conversation had run out, it was now or never if he was going to actually give them something they could go on.

"I cannot say, Chat Noir. Until whoever behind this reveals their intentions, I am just as much in the dark as you are."

"And yet you knew about us. You knew about Marinette and Luka. You know more than what you are telling us, and I don't understand why you won't share your information if you are on our side." Chat shook off Ladybug's placating hand on his arm, keeping his gaze locked on the man in front of him.

"It is true, I knew about you and your encounter with Luka. But, that was because I was in possession of a Miraculous power that I no longer have. Kwami's have very particular auras, and using my training along with my kwami, I was able to pick up on Tikki and Plagg's auras when they appeared. Similarly, my kwami is able to detect magical presences, because it also projects a very distinct aura. The overwhelming evil radiating from Luka was so strong, his aura was practically begging to be noticed. But while he was truly evil, there is still a foreboding presence looming over Paris that is a thousand times moreso. I can't pinpoint where it is coming from, the presence is so large. I do not know if that person is in possession of a Miraculous or is just a very powerful magic wielder. We will not know until they reveal themselves. I have given up my Miraculous so that you both will have the help you will need to fight this presence. I understand your concern, Chat Noir, but until we know more, I cannot reveal just yet the extent of my knowledge. Speculation will get us nowhere." Master Fu calmly gazed back at the newly minted hero appraising him.

Ladybug looked back and forth between the two, waiting for the tension in Chat's shoulders to relax with the older man's words. His shoulders remained tense.

"So there is still more you are keeping from us. How can we be expected to fight against this if we don't know everything we could possibly know? Ignorance could get us killed."

"Too much knowledge is a not necessarily a good thing either, especially when the mind is unprepared for it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get back home before the train departs." Master Fu continued to make his way to the front door, Ladybug on his heels. She bid him a good night and shut the door while Chat remained still and quiet.

"Adrien? Are you okay?" Ladybug's voice was concerned, and it melted the tension he was holding on to. He met her halfway across the living room as she walked towards him, sweeping her into a bonecrushing hug and burying his face into her neck.

"Drop your transformation."

"Adrien? I…"

" _Drop your transformation."_

Marinette sighed and released her transformation, catching Tikki as she floated wearily down. This was the longest she had held a transformation, and she had hoped that Adrien would've been up for going out and testing out their abilities tonight. She tilted her head and looked at her still transformed fiance with a raised brow, silently questioning him why he hadn't released his as well. He detransformed and caught Plagg, who immediately started complaining about being hungry. Marinette smiled and walked into the kitchen to fix the kwami's their snack, and then started in on her and Adrien's dinner. Adrien watched from the doorway for a while before coming up behind her while she was chopping vegetables at the counter. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose in her hair. "I'm sorry. I just can't help but be freaked out about you fighting while pregnant. And seeing you transformed just makes it…. _Real._ I don't know how I'm going to be able to watch you fight and not lose my mind. I know there's no way you'll reconsider this path though, so I'll have to figure it out."

She set down the knife and turned in his arms, looking up at him and placing her hands along his jaw. "Hey, you know I'm going to be as careful as possible. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that I make the baby's health my number one priority. This," she gestured to her stomach, and then between them before replacing her hand, "has been my dream for far too long to do anything to jeopardize it. And I know that I'll have a strong kitty by my side to help keep me safe." She rubbed her nose against his before placing a light kiss on the tip.

"I love it when you talk about how long you've loved me." Adrien's low voice was sultry, and then his lips were capturing hers in a hungry kiss. She gasped at the sudden intensity and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside her mouth and run it along hers. She tilted her head and began to fight back, kissing him breathless. He swept her up bridal style and strode out of the kitchen, turning towards the stairs.

"Adrien! What about dinner?!" Marinette laughed.

"Sometimes, Princess, it's better to have dessert first." Adrien smirked down at her as he kicked their bedroom door further open and made his way to the bed. He set Marinette down gently and captured her lips once more. He crawled on top of her and deepened the kiss, his tongue darting out to trace the seam of her lips before forcing itself inside. The visit with Fu had set his nerves on edge, and he needed to get rid of some of the tension before he snapped. Marinette seemed to grasp this at once, because her arms wrapped around his neck and yanked him down to her at the same time her legs wrapped around his waist and locked behind his ass. She met his roughness with a need of her own, and he loved her for it. He stopped kissing her long enough to grunt out, "I think I'm really enjoying the second trimester so far."

She broke away and looked him in the eyes, a mischievous glint shining in her bluebell orbs. "Oh, Kitty, you have _no_ idea." And then she was pushing him off to the side so that he fell on his back. She climbed on top of him and ground down against his clothed erection while her hands slipped underneath his black button up shirt. Her nails lightly grazed his skin as she pushed her hands upwards, branching out to graze against each nipple as she leaned down to kiss him roughly. His sharp intake of breath and following moan shot straight to her own clothed wetness and she rolled her hips. He grabbed her hips to stop the torture, but she merely pulled away from his lips. He tried to follow her, but she placed a hand on his chest and forced him to stay down. Once she was sure he wouldn't move, she started to slowly lift up her midnight blue maternity shirt while keeping her eyes locked on his. He groaned as skin was revealed inch by agonizing inch, so slowly that he thought he might lose his mind if he didn't get to see her in all her naked glory soon. She finally pulled the shirt over her head and threw it somewhere in the recesses of their room, her bra following right afterwards.

This time it was his turn to place a hand on her chest to prevent her from moving back down to kiss him. He traced the swell of her breast before running his hand along her side and over her rounded stomach. She smiled down on him and the soft bubble he was in popped. Suddenly his need returned full force, and he couldn't wait any longer. He needed her now. He sat up and caught her bottom lip in his teeth, tugging on it before flicking it with his tongue and kissing her with renewed passion. While he did, his hands worked the buttons on his shirt and once free, hers pushed it off of him and threw it with the other clothes. Now he could feel her pert nipples dragging along his superheated skin, could feel her stomach brushing against his as he pulled her closer still, but it still wasn't enough. His lips trailed down her neck, sucking marks into the skin harshly. He wanted to brand her, to let the world know that she was _his_ and his alone. Her moans and gasps spurred him on, his teeth nipping the skin at the junction of her shoulder, and again at her collarbone, his tongue always soothing the sting afterward.

He suddenly broke away and swung her around to lay flat on the bed, not giving her even a moment before he was tugging off her leggings and pale pink underwear. His hands worked his belt and pants before those too were gone, his underwear immediately following. His skin still felt overheated and oversensitized; it was like something was urging him to hurry up and take her before something awful happened and she was ripped away from him again. He dropped his face down between her legs without warning, licking up her slit and causing the most delicious noise to escape her kiss swollen lips. He wanted more, to hear more of those noises she made only for him, and so he attacked her sex. His tongue probed into her and his finger spun a slow circle around her swollen clit. He switched, and suddenly his finger was pumping in and out of her while his lips were wrapped around her bundle of nerves. Her cries and moans echoed in the dark room as her hands buried themselves in his hair. He curved his finger inside of her and listened as her moans became more and more breathless, waiting until just before she was falling over the edge in release before pulling his finger out and towering over her.

She looked up at him, taking in his glistening lips and the wild look in his eyes, and she understood. He needed to know that she was real. That she was here and unharmed and his. Instead of inviting him down on top of her, she sat up with a little difficulty before shoving him onto his back once more. She straddled him and took his rigid length in her hands, lining him up before sinking down without any further delay. She watched as his whole body shuddered as she took him in. As soon as she was down all the way to the hilt, she started moving. He practically howled as she bounced on his cock, his hands digging into her hips as the sensations washed over him again and again. Her name fell from his lips like a litany of prayers, his head pushed back and eyes closed as her walls swallowed him over and over.

She took his hands and placed them on her stomach as she moved, grounding him to her. His eyes snapped open and his mouth hung open as he marvelled at the woman above him that always knew just what he needed. He felt like his heart was overflowing, the need to show this woman how much he loved her causing the pressure to snap at the base of his spine, and then he was thrusting up to meet her as his release overtook him. His sudden movement, along with the look of pure love right before the bliss took over, caused her own release and her walls clenched around him. After a few more shaky movements, she collapsed against his heaving chest.

His arms tightened around her, holding her to him as they both came down from their high. He didn't tell her downstairs, but their life now, it was _his_ dream come true.


	20. Teammates

A/N: Hello everyone! I'm slowing getting my motivation back, so keep baring with me as these chapters keep getting out sporadically. A big thank you to Quantum, she wrote a lot of this chapter after I told her the gist of what I wanted. Please enjoy!

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Alya sat with her laptop on the couch. Nino was busy at his soundboard mixing a new song. He flipped the switches and hit keys on it, while Alya typed loudly. He sprang off of the sounds of her keyboard and made a song out of it. She had fallen deeper and deeper in love with the man as they had grown from kids to young adults. Alya couldn't see her life without him and he couldn't survive without her. They balanced each other in ways that many would not understand. Everyone, except for Marinette and Adrien. They always admired how those two worked together. They were shocked it had taken them this long to get it together and make it work.

A knock brought her out of her thoughts and Nino took his headphones off of his ears.

"I'll get it, babe." Nino walked over to the door and answered it to find a man in a red hawaiian shirt with khaki shorts. He held a cane in his hand as he waited, stroking his beard between his fingers. "Uh… hi?" Nino raised an eyebrow as confusion colored his tone. He messed with his red ball cap as the man smiled up at him.

"Good evening, Nino, Alya." Master Fu nodded to them and Alya closed her laptop and set it aside. "My name is Fu. I have something important for you both." He smiled up at Nino, who stepped aside for him to come inside. "Ladybug and Chat Noir are dear friends of yours, yes?"

"I'm sorry... Who?" Alya raised an eyebrow and walked up to him with her hand on her hip. She had no idea who the old man was talking about and she had to get this article done. The deadline was midnight and it was already 10 o'clock at night. "Not to be rude, Fu, but I have a deadline to meet with this article and I can't be late on it. My promotion is on the line." Alya crossed her arms across her chest.

"It will only take a moment, Rena Rouge." Master Fu walked more into their apartment and Nino moved stuff off of the orange couch so that he had a place to sit. The elderly man sat down and Nino sat across from him. He seemed to be more interested than his irritated girlfriend at the moment.

"Look, dude… I mean Alya. Let's give him a chance to talk. The man deserves some air time." Nino gave Alya a desperate smile and rubbed the back of his head. He wanted to know more about what this man had to say. It could be something cool and he wanted some adventure in his life.

"Do you have any tea?" Master Fu smiled and Nino sprang up to make him some in the kitchen, while Alya remained with her back against the kitchen counter. "Now, what I am about to say may shock you, but I ask that you listen carefully before you judge me. Soon there will be great danger, and Ladybug and Chat Noir will need help. During my talk with Ladybug at her house earlier today, I saw a photo of you all at a beach."

"So?" Alya crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "What about it? I still don't know who you are talking about or why you are calling me Rena Rouge." She was so confused and was still apprehensive about this man being in their home. She didn't know if she could trust him or not. It was better to keep up a cool facade until this old man gave her the answers she wanted. Despite Nino's obvious excitement for whatever this guy is blathering on about, Alya was still wary.

"You two show great promise. You have a great balance and since you are so close with Chat Noir and Ladybug… I think that you two would be a great match to accentuate their team." Master Fu took the warm tea from Nino's hand. "Ah… thank you." He took a slow sip of the warm liquid and sighed in bliss.

"Who are Ladybug and Chat Noir though, my du… I mean, sir?" Nino sat down across from him on the couch and waited for the elderly man to speak. He wanted to know more about them and he had no idea what was going on. He was starting to catch on to something that was just out of reach in his mind, but it was too vague to voice just yet. Better to see what the older man had to say before speaking up.

"They will tell you when the time is right. Right now, I need to relay all of the information I can for your miraculous'." Master Fu set his cup down and pulled two ornate boxes from his bag. He stood and approached Alya, who was loitering near the kitchen island in apparent discomfort. There was an electric wire running through her skin, and the hair on her arms and neck were standing on end. Whatever this older man was about to say is going to change her life, she could feel it. She just didn't know if it would be for the better or not. She eyed him as he approached, straightening up when he held out the box to her. She couldn't describe with words how her hand moved of its own accord, or how she felt drawn to this inexplicable presence residing inside the box.

"Alya Césaire, you have been chosen to wield the Fox Miraculous. In accepting this honor, you agree to work for the greater good. In times of crisis, you might be asked to lay your life on the line for the greater good. You will work with other Miraculous wielders to eradicate the evil that is threatening Paris. Should you choose to accept this Miraculous, you will wield the power of Illusion. This power must only be used for good. You are to keep your civilian identity a secret at all costs. You can choose whether to reveal yourself to your teammates, but weight the decision carefully." Master Fu opened the box. Alya took in the shining fox tail strung upon a heavy gold chain. She reached her hand out further, hesitating one last time before tracing her finger along the edge of the necklace. She looked at Master Fu, who was smiling proudly at her. "Do you accept?"

Alya's breath hitched in her throat, so she could only nod feverently.

"Welcome to Team Miraculous, Rena Rouge. Take your Miraculous and wear it with pride. Oh, and don't be startled…."

Alya didn't know what he meant by that, but she had been given the go ahead to pick her ( _her!_ ) necklace so she grasped the necklace and quickly unclasped the chain to place it around her neck. Once it was comfortably settled underneath the dip in her collarbone, she felt it start to warm up. Suddenly a blinding light shone. A shadow flipped around her, zipping back and forth as the light faded out.

" _Master!_ Long time no see!" A small _creature_ flew in between Fu and Alya, looking back and forth between them. "Hi! My name is Trixx." Trixx looked to be a small version of a red fox. Her beautiful orangish red fur was soft and shiny. White accents graced her ears, half of her face, her belly and the end of her tail. She had black paws and mischievous looking purple eyes. Black antenna bobbed from the tips of her ears. The little fox smiled widely at Alya and crossed her arms. "I'm your kwami! I can tell that we are going to have a ton of fun!" She giggled and spun in a circle. Alya's face broke out into the biggest smile of her life as she caught the little fox in her hands.

Alya was overwhelmed by it all and so was Nino. Although, Nino was still on the edge of his seat since he hadn't yet been approached by Fu. He knew what was coming, and he was ready for it. All he wanted was to transform and see what his powers could really do. He sat up straighter, nearly vibrating out of his seat as Master Fu approached him. He tried to contain his grin, he really did, but knowing that something amazing was about to happen to him was making it hard to keep a level head. He focused as Master Fu began to speak again.

"Nino Lahiffe, you have been chosen to wield the Turtle Miraculous. In accepting this honor, you agree to work for the greater good. In times of crisis, you might be asked to lay your life on the line for the greater good. You will work with other Miraculous wielders to eradicate the evil that is threatening Paris. Should you choose to accept this Miraculous, you will wield the power of Protection. This power must only be used for good. Since your power is mainly defensive, you will be responsible for keeping your teammates and other civilians safe during a crisis. You are to keep your civilian identity a secret at all costs. You can choose whether to reveal yourself to your teammates, but weight the decision carefully. Do you accept?" Master Fu held back a smile at the eager young man before him. He had clearly already made his decision, ready to jump into being a superhero. Fu could admire his enthusiasm, but he wondered how long it would last once the battles started raging. Putting the thought out of his mind, he opened up the Miraculous box to reveal the Turtle Miraculous.

Without hesitation Nino picked up the bracelet and examined it. It looked to be a simple leather bound bracelet. It had a dark green clunky hexagon shaped design strung on it, with in laid light green pie slices separating each partition. A small circle graced the very center of the design. He slid the bracelet onto his right wrist, it came to rest at the forefront of a multitude of bracelets dangling from his right arm, yet somehow managed to stand out from the others. It seemed to adjust automatically to fit his wrist. As soon as it was settled, the same blinding light spiraled out from it. He put a hand up to his face to shield his eyes, and when he lowered it he saw a small turtle-like creature floating in front of him.

The first thing Nino noticed was a very green, very bulbous head in front of him. A thin antenna stuck up from the top of it's head, reminiscent of an alien antenna in Nino's opinion. Yellow eyes with green pupils stared solemnly back at him, waiting for Nino's visual assessment to be complete. A simple green body with a turtle shell completed the tiny god's look. Nino watched the little turtle god float in front of him, just soaking in the fact that he now had _a god as a partner._ The comic book nerd in him was straight up freaking the freak out, but Nino strove to keep it under control so as to make a good first impression. "What's your name, little dude?"

"My name is Wayzz and I am your kwami." Wayzz spoke with a calm and well articulated voice. Nino smiled and poked him with his index finger, just to see what kind of reaction he could elicit from the small creature.

"Welcome to Team Miraculous, Carapace. Shall we go over what you say to transform?" Master Fu smiled at the two of them and picked up his cup to take another sip of his tea.

"All you have to say is ' _Trixx! Let's pounce!'_ " Trixx spun around in excitement. Nothing was more fun than being transformed and being able to do some good. She always found it fun to make illusions, and the freedom to leap from building to building was the best.

"And all you have to say is ' _Wayzz! Shell on!'_ " Wayzz nodded at Nino and both of them called out their transformations.

Nino took a moment to look over at Alya and take in her form fitting, orange colored, fox themed outfit. It accentuated her hips and breasts and thinned out her waist. Her hair is now a three-tone ombré, having the roots turn from dark red/red-orange, blending to orange with the tips being white. It is slicked back into a high ponytail with an orange hairband. She has an orange mask, adorned with a white bottom half and a black mark above each eye. Two orange fox ears with white insides, black tips, and black edges are attached to the top of her head. The top layer of her suit, akin to an overcoat, is orange with a white front, a black swan-necked collar, and black arms and gloves up to the middle of her upper arms. The overcoat layer attaches down the vertical front center with a zipper, in which Nino could see that the Fox Miraculous becomes the zipper. The overcoat also has a long fox tail-like coattail that ends a bit below her knees at a sharp white tip. The bottom layer of her suit is orange with a white center on the front of the body and black legs starting at a point in the middle of her upper legs. She also has black boots with orange soles and black fox paw print markings adoring her feet. He could see the tip of what he assumed to be her weapon, a flute attached diagonally across her back. She was the sexiest woman he had ever laid eyes on, and he couldn't wait to get her alone later and show her exactly what he thought of her superhero garb.

Alya was dumbstruck as she stared at her boyfriend. He always had an easygoing vibe to him, even his clothing was laid back. But the man (because she knew that the person in front of her was no longer the boy she grew up with, but an intimidating man who fought for what was right) in front of her was anything but. He was mysterious, an enigma she couldn't wait to unravel. Her lips parted as she took in his newly minted superhero costume.

Nino, no, _Carapace_ (because she couldn't quite associate the boy with the headphones with the man in front of her) has a dark green bodysuit with a hoodie. The hoodie has a silver semicircle on the front, red eye designs on the sides with black and golden details, and two small light green ovals below the bottom of the hood's opening. Over his eyes are black goggles with yellowish green lenses (which she thinks looks a lot like Wayzz's eyes). Underneath the suit, she can see that he has a black collar. On his suit, he has six hexagon-shaped light green circles on his chest, and he has dark gray hexagon-shaped protective pads on his shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. Alya thinks that this looks a lot like the bracelet, and she spies the Turtle Miraculous in it's designated spot on his right wrist. Dark green boots, with an indent between his big toe and other toes, adorn his feet. Dark gray outsoles, and two indents on two sides of each boot complete his footwear. On his back, he carries a shield that is dark green on one side and light green on the other. He spun around slowly for her, a playful smile tugging the corners of his mouth upward. His gaze through his lensed goggles pinned her to the floor, heat pooling between her thighs as he pulled her close and dipped her back. He looked into her eyes as he pressed his lips against hers in a chaste but heated kiss. After catching her breath, she laughed shakily and pushed him away. "NINO…."

She looked over at Master Fu sheepishly, embarrassed that they had gotten caught up in the moment. She was surprised to find the older man smiling warmly at them, no sign of the reproach she was sure he was going to make.

Master Fu warmly smiled at the two of them. "I knew I picked the perfect people. Now your training can begin."

He proceeded to give them the basics on their respective powers, answering their many questions to the best of his ability.

It turns out that Nino's special power is called Shellter, and is executed through his shield. It allows Carapace to create a giant green shell-like spherical barrier/ force field to protect himself and his allies. It is also able to damage particular surfaces. Master Fu warned him that despite the usefulness of this power, it must be used wisely. He cautioned that Nino would detransform five minutes after using it, reminding him again how important it was that he be in a secure location to revert back to his civilian self. He also wouldn't be as maneuverable as his teammates, and would have to rely on them to get him speedily across the city if the need arose.

Rena Rogue's powers were completely different. She will have enhanced skills, such as speed, strength, and most prominently, agility. She will be able to use her legs to powerfully jump to heights that Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Carapace cannot. As suspected, she uses her flute as her weapon to easily fight with. It also is the instrument needed for her special ability. Alya's face screwed up in wonder as Fu explained how her special power, Mirage, is executed by playing her flute to produce an orange ball of energy at the far end of it. Wherever she swings the flute to throw the ball of energy, it creates an illusion. Here Master Fu cautioned her that the illusion will disappear if it is touched. Like Carapace, she will detransform after five minutes once she uses it.

Alya searched Nino's eyes in shock as they both tried to internalize the information that was dumped on them. Neither of them knew what to say at that exact moment, and silence seemed the best option until they could fully grasp the responsibility that has been placed upon them. Both of their gazes snapped to Master Fu as he stood and prepared to leave them. Alya rose from where she had sat on the couch during the explanation of their powers, following Master Fu as he headed for the door. "You're leaving already? Just like that?"

The smile Fu bent on her was tinged with sadness. "Remember, you cannot tell anyone about your miraculouses. It will put you all in grave danger. Ladybug and Chat Noir should get in contact with you soon. Good luck on your promotion, Rena Rouge." He nodded to them both and opened their front door without further ado, shutting it softly behind him.

"What do we do now? Should we call Marinette and Adrien?" Alya spoke after she detransformed and Nino followed suit. She could hardly focus on her article now that she had this new power. She wanted to explore everything about it. She was finally starting to catch on to Nino's excitement. After all, she had always wanted to be a superhero and here she was with powers and a costume and the whole nine yards!

"Nah, they're doing a date night thing tonight. How about you come over here and entertain this turtle." Nino wiggled his eyebrows at her and pulled her close by the small of her back and she rolled her eyes.

"If that's the case, I have an article to finish and you were working on a song, I believe." She pulled his hat down over his brown eyes and Nino laughed.

"Five minutes of your time." Nino winked and she shook her head with a laugh.

"You know it never stays at five minutes, Nino." Alya pushed him away and went to write her article again. Trixx floated over with her and watched her type, while Wayzz sat down on Nino's soundboard.

Their lives might have just taken a crazy unexpected curve, but they were still adults with responsibilities. Playtime could come later, Alya would make sure of it.

Marinette sat at a table in a luxury club with Adrien. She ran her hands over her navy dress. It was tight along her bust, accentuating her swollen breasts. The dress flared out and ran along her pregnant belly. She wore black leggings and light grey flats to match her outfit. Marinette ran her finger around her water glass as she watched her fiancé nurse his glass of brandy. She watched him through her dark lashes and took in his silk button down that was maroon in color. He had the sleeves rolled to his elbows to accentuate his biceps and forearm muscles. She licked her lips as she took in the hint of skin where his shirt was unbuttoned near his throat. She reached across the table and touched the back of his hand. "So, why'd you want to bring me here, hot stuff?"

Adrien nearly spit out his drink at her nickname. He had never heard her say that and something about it made his heart speed up and his cheeks catch fire. The heat ran down the back of his neck and his black frames fell down his nose. He cleared his throat and quickly pushed his glasses back in place. He set his drink down and touched the edge of the glass as he spoke. "Well, I wanted to get our minds off of everything. With everything happening so suddenly… I thought we could cut loose and have a little fun." He smiled at her and brought his drink back to his lips.

Marinette drew circles along the back of his hand. "And you wanted to try and beat me at my dance skills, kitty?" She smirked at him with a challenging look in her eye and he set his empty glass down so that he could cross his arms over his chest. She knew that he couldn't possibly dance better than her. She had it in the bag.

He raised an eyebrow at her and leaned across the table with a determined expression and Marinette suddenly ordered him another brandy when a cocktail waitress walked past. "I could outdance you any day of the week, Bugaboo." He challenged her as one side of his lip curled at the edge.

"You, outdance me? You mean like that one time we fought against a fake dancing 'akuma' as kids and you thought you could win with _caramelldansen_?" Marinette burst into giggles and Adrien leaned back with a pout.

"At least I was cute! Besides, that is a _paws_ itively sexy way to dance and you know it." Adrien looked away and Marinette's fingers were soon under his chin, yanking his face over to meet her gaze. She smiled warmly at him and fluttered her eyelashes. She was gonna make him beg for her by the end of the night. She was going to show him that she could be full of surprises too.

"You're always _purrrr_ fectly cute, Chaton. And _cat_ astrophically attractive." Marinette purred and brought her lips mere centimeters from his soft ones. Adrien gasped as he felt her sweet breath on his lips, but she never let her lips touch his. His heart pounded against his ribcage and his cock flexed in his tight dark wash jeans. She backed up from him and slowly walked her fingers up his chest and rested her chin on her other hand. "So… if I were to put on a short skirt, sailor shirt, white knee highs, and a pair of black mary janes... And let's say I…" She grabbed the collar of his soft shirt and yanked him closer. "did _caramelldansen_ for you…. What would happen?" She smiled at him as his lips parted and his cheeks reddened. His eyelids lowered and his chest rose and fell as he lost control of his breathing.

"I'd say… let's go home now, so that you could show me how well you dance in our bedroom." Adrien sighed dreamily and she pushed him back against the booth. Marinette giggled and scooted his new glass of brandy towards him. Adrien wrapped his fingers around the glass and brought it to his lips,before he took a long sip of the warm liquid. "You know if you're trying to get me wasted… it's not gonna work." He winked at her and downed his glass.

"Who said that was what I'm trying to accomplish, silly kitty?" Marinette snapped her fingers for another brandy and Adrien raised an eyebrow as the room spun and his body heat rose. His jeans grew tighter as she looked down to pull the top of her dress down a bit, showing off more of her cleavage. Adrien swallowed hard as another full glass appeared in front of him. Marinette crawled over to his side of the booth and she kneeled beside him. She rested her arm on the table while she reached up with her other hand to run her fingers through his soft blonde hair. Marinette peered at him with a seductive expression and tangled her fingers into his hair. She ran her fingers up his thigh and curved her hand towards his inner thigh, pulling his head back by his hair. Adrien purred as she captured his lips with her own in a hard kiss. He softly moaned as she ran her tongue along his bottom lip, seeking entrance. Adrien parted his lips and right as she was about to dip her tongue into his mouth, she replaced her mouth with the glass and he swallowed the brandy down. Marinette set the glass back on the table and bit her bottom lip as she caressed his throbbing cock through his jeans. "Ready to dance, Chaton?" She flirted with him and softly planted a kiss to his lips, tasting the tang of the alcohol. Adrien felt like the room was spinning and his chest felt like it was on fire as the alcohol pumped through his system.

"It would be my pleasure, M'Lady." Adrien smirked at her through his lashes and she got off the seat to let him out. Sunshine Riptide by Fall Out Boy began to play over the sound system and Adrien took Marinette's hand in the air, pulling her into the group of people dancing. He spun her into him and her back pressed against his body. They swayed back and forth to the song and he slid his hands to her hips, before she spun back out and did a few short steps with his hand in the air. He pulled her close again and held her hip with one hand, while he held her hand in his other one. They danced back and forth to the beat. She got as close as she could to him and he put out one of his thighs and she ground against it to the beat of the drums, while Adrien purred against her ear and rolled his hips with her. He moved his thigh and spun her in a circle, before he caught her with his other hand and he danced her back two steps and forwards another two steps. He dipped her back and slowly licked between her breasts and up her neck, biting down on her pulse point. She gasped and clutched at his satin covered bicep. A soft mewl escaped past her lips as he brought her back up onto her feet.

She grabbed his shirt as she swayed and he staggered with her before he caught himself. "I'm not the best at steadying you right now, Bugaboo." Adrien laughed and ran his hand through his hair as embarrassment colored his cheeks. Marinette giggled and helped balance him the best she could.

She touched her stomach and laughed harder at the whole situation. "Well, I hate to admit it, but.. This kitten makes it hard to balance as well, Chaton." He burst out laughing and pulled her into his arms. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head and she reached up on her toes to grab his face. She placed a passionate kiss on his lips and he moaned against her soft lips. "Wanna get out of here?" She whispered into his ear and nibbled along the shell of his ear.

"Oui, s'il vous plait." Adrien breathed as she giggled with her bottom lip between her teeth, leading him out of the club and towards their car. She took the keys from his pocket and climbed into the driver's seat after he opened the door for her.

"Merci, Adrien." Marinette kissed him on the lips and he closed her door as he drunkenly walked around the car to the passenger side. Adrien got into his seat and looked over to see Marinette gripping the wheel, a mixture of fear and determination warring on her features. She screwed her hands on the wheel and chewed on her bottom lip. Her heart hammered in her chest and her mind wandered out of control. Her breathing sped up as she began to stress out, suddenly lost in a sea of what-ifs.

Adrien reached over and touched her thigh, snapping her back into the present with him. "Are you okay, baby?"

Marinette shook her head and looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I- I can't do it and I don't know _why_. I'm sorry Adrien, but what if-" She threw her hands into the air and they gently landed on her stomach as she peered down at their unborn kitten. "What if a car hits us? What if I crash? What if our tire blows out and then I lose control of the car and then- and then-" She burst into tears, hiccuping the rest of her sentence. Adrien took her into his arms, his heart going out to the strong woman next to him.

He stroked her hair and shushed her. "Mari, if you don't feel comfortable driving… we can call a driving service to take us home. Alright? It's okay. Everything is going to be fine. Don't worry." He kissed the top of her head and she relaxed against him. Adrien held her tightly as he took out his phone and began to look up a number for a driving service nearby. It didn't take long for a car to pull up for them.

She looked at him sheepishly as he guided her into the backseat. "I- I'm sorry, Adrien. I don't know what's come over me, I just…"

Adrien shook his head at her, lovingly pressing a kiss to her temple. "Don't worry about it, Mari. I'd imagine it has something to do with your hormones being out of whack thanks to this little one." He rubbed his hands along her swollen stomach with a soft smile. "It's okay, really. This is just part of who you are right now, there's nothing wrong with it at all."

She smiled at him in pure adoration, grateful for his soothing and reaffirming words. She couldn't seem to turn off the part of her brain that wanted to worry about literally _everything,_ it was both exhausting and terrifying. The longer they sat in silence, the more things occurred to her.

"But what about your car?" Marinette looked up at him, while they sat in the back of the driver's car. She was worried about it being left overnight there. Adrien sighed and took her hand in his. He rubbed his hand along her knuckles.

"I can always get dropped off tomorrow and drive it back home. Okay? Don't worry about it. It'll all work out, Bugaboo. I promise. Now, can we go back to what we were originally planning to do?" He touched her cheek and leaned into her, pressing a soft kiss to her lips that soon escalated into more intoxicating ones that left them breathless.

Adrien paid the driver once they pulled up to their house. They stumbled out of the car and made their way up the sidewalk to their front door. She clutched at his shirt as she ran her tongue along his in open mouth kisses. They managed to stumble through the front door and into the entryway before Adrien groaned and kissed her one last time before pulling away from her. "What are you doing, silly kitty?" Marinette put her hands on her hips and watched him darkly smirk as he shut the front door before he backed up against it, just out of her reach.

"Oh… nothing…" Adrien slurred and punched his fist out before twirling his hand up and beside his head. "Plagg, claws out!" A green light enveloped him and he ran his two fingers past his emerald eyes and brushed his hair back with his hands as a black mask and ears appeared. Before long, he was clad in all black and no longer Adrien. Marinette gasped as he grabbed her hand and yanked her upstairs to their bedroom.

He backed her into their bed and she fell onto it. She laid back into the pillows and he climbed onto the bed between her thighs. Chat took her wrists into his hands and slammed them onto the bed beside her head, bending down to slowly lick and suck along her pulse point. She gasped and her heart fluttered as panic set in from his position. The way his hands gripped her wrists and pinned them to the bed, the way his hips were grinding into hers, and the smell of brandy on his breath intoxicated her and made her sick to her stomach. She began to panic as her mind replaced Adrien with Luka. "Stop! Stop, stop, stop! _Get away from me!_ " Marinette felt tears fall from her eyes and Chat immediately dropped her wrists and sat back on his heels, totally bewildered by her panicked tone.

His chest rose and fell in a fast paced rhythm and he searched her eyes as he tried to figure out what had just happened. "What's wrong? What did I do?" He began to look her over to make sure she was okay as she sat up. She hid her face in her hands, feeling ashamed that she would even consider them being the same because they weren't. Nothing about them was similar and it made her feel even sicker that her body had reacted that way.

"I- I'm sorry. Let's just continue." Marinette sat back against the pillows, refusing to look him in the eye. Chat crawled up beside her, exhaling roughly as the romantic mood evaporated. He didn't want to continue if she wasn't comfortable with something he did. He wanted to know what exactly caused her reaction, and it was driving him mad that she just continued to sit there in silence. His mind kept trying to go over what he could have done wrong, but nothing was coming up. That was, until it hit him.

He looked down at his clawed hands and his eyes looked back up at her, shaking. "I just reminded you of Lukass." It all came flooding back to him and he immediately wrapped her in his arms. "I'm _so_ sorry, Marinette. I'll go brush my teeth and change my clothes and then I'll be back and we'll make love, okay? I won't pin you down. Promise." Chat got up and detransformed, the sick feeling in his stomach following him as he made his way into the bathroom.

Marinette pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes and her stomach flipped as bile rose in her throat. She had ruined their night and she felt guilty about it. Flashes of Luka went through her mind, and a shadow lingered in the room that she was sure wasn't there when Adrien was with her. It was only a flash, but an uneasy feeling sat deep within her stomach and she felt their kitten react to it. "Did you feel that too?" She rubbed her stomach as her stomach turned over again and she ran into the bathroom to relieve the contents in her stomach.

Adrien peeked his head out of the shower to see Marinette over the toilet. "Are you okay?" He rinsed off, shut the water off, and wrapped a white towel around his waist. Adrien bent down to hold back her hair as she gasped. "Maybe we should just get you to bed tonight and try again tomorrow." He warmly smiled at her and she shook her head as she stood up, wiping her mouth with a piece of toilet paper.

"No, no I'm okay. I just thought I saw something and the thought of Luka got to me and-" Marinette was interrupted by Adrien transforming again against Plagg's wishes. He pulled his baton from his back and elongated it as he started to walk out of the bathroom with his chest puffed out.

"Stay here." Chat wandered through the house with a protective aura, but he found nothing. There was no one in their house. Marinette walked up behind him after she finished brushing her teeth, her arms wrapped across her chest to keep herself together. She worried her bottom lip and poked his shoulder. Chat spun around to find his fiancée standing there with her head down.

"Can we just forget about what happened? Please? Just come back to bed. It was only a shadow. It's nothing. I'm just being hypersensitive." Marinette looked up at him as determination flashed across her face, and grabbed his collar to pull him down for a kiss. He shrunk his baton back to carrying mode and clicked it into place behind his back as he sank into her kiss. She lead him back into their bedroom and he scooped her up into his arms and gently laid her onto their bed.

He crawled up her body and slid his hand along her thigh, pushing her dress up her body and over her head. Marinette sighed as he slid his hand beneath the waistband of her leggings, pulling them down her hips while his lips brushed along hers. She gasped and softly mewled as she raised her hips to help him take them off. She shifted her legs, kicking them from her ankles.

Chat slid his hand between their bodies and ran his gloved finger along her slit through her thin panties. She moaned and arched her back, gripping his bicep through the skin tight material. Chat leaned into her and softly brushed his lips against her soft lips as he circled her swollen clit through her soaked panties. Chat kissed down her body and bit the side of her panties, tearing them, and freeing them from her curvy hips. Marinette gasped as she was freed from them and the cool air brushed along her sensitive folds. Chat gripped her thighs and spread them as he dipped his head between her thighs. He slowly licked from her tight opening to her clit and she trembled with her fingers buried in his soft hair. She gripped his black leathery ears and panted as she rolled her hips against his mouth. Chat wrapped his lips around her swollen button and sucked hard as he flicked the tip of his tongue against her exposed clit. Marinette cried out and came hard around his mouth as her legs shook. He gave her clit one last flick of his warm tongue and she slid her hands to his biceps and tried to yank him up her body.

He got the hint and crawled back up her body. She played with his bell and made it chime as she hit it with her index finger. Marinette wrapped her fingers around it and yanked him down into a kiss. She ran her tongue along his and slowly slid the bell down his chest. The zipper gave way, showcasing his muscular pecs and perfect abs. She panted as she took his body in. She slid her hands beneath his suit at his shoulders and slowly peeled it down his biceps and he slipped his hands out. He supported himself on his palms, causing his back muscles to flex. Marinette ran her hands along them and felt them with her fingertips. She softly cooed as she took in his beautiful body and how it glowed beneath the low lights. Marinette scanned up his body and her eyes fell onto his chartreuse cat eyes. She undid his belt tail and yanked it from his hips before she sank her fingers into his suit to push them over his ass and down his thighs. He kicked it off and bent down to capture her lips with his own in a fiery kiss that was fueled by lust and love.

Marinette reached between them and wrapped her fingers around his cock. She ran her thumb along his slit and spread his precum around his swollen head. Chat moaned as she worked him with her hand. She grabbed the back of his head with her other hand and pulled him down into a deep kiss. She ran her tongue along his bottom lip and dipped it past his parted lips. Chat returned her kiss with enthusiasm as he let go of his restraint. He rolled his hips and replaced her hand with his own. He rubbed the head of his cock against her slit and she softly moaned as he found her opening and slowly eased into her wet core. She cried out and gripped his biceps as he slowly rocked into her tight pussy.

She cried out and he bent down to capture her lips as he sped up. Her toes curled and he panted in her ear as he thrust into her harder. "Ch-Chat! I'm gonna! So close- mmm…" She moaned and grasped at his back. She slid her hands down his back to his rounded ass to dig her nails into his toned muscles. She wrapped her legs around his hips and rolled her hips, riding out her orgasm as she burst into a million stars.

Chat panted and groaned as he clenched his fists in the sheet and braced himself as the pressure built at his spine. He moaned and gasped as the rubber band broke and he came hard with his hands in her hair and his lips on hers. She moaned and softly hummed as he rode out his high. Chat pulled out and detransformed, leaving Adrien beside her. She rolled onto her side and smiled up at him. He softly kissed her on the forehead and she cuddled against his chest. "I love you so much, Adrien."

Adrien sighed and touched her chin to bring her lips up to his. He softly planted a chaste kiss on her lips before pulling away to speak. "I love you too, Madame Agreste." She burst out into a fit of giggles and she slowly fell asleep against him. He chuckled at how fast she could fall asleep as he moved to wrap them both in the warm comforter. He reached beside him and grabbed the remote to shut the lights off before he got comfortable and fell asleep beside her.

Neither noticed the glint of dark, malevolent eyes that had watched their intimate display. The barest hint of the outline of a body coalesced in the shadows, listening to the deep, even breaths of the people in the bed. It walked forward slowly, piercing blue eyes fixed on the naked woman as she slept. The eyes narrowed as the body approached the bed, a hand reached out to run a finger along her jaw, delighting when she shivered in her sleep and moved away restlessly. Shadows swirled as the body bent over. The sleeping woman's brows puckered as barely there lips brushed hers. A low whine escaped her plump lips, and a thumb caressed her cheek as blue eyes stared at the woman who caused his death. Sure, her hand didn't deal the final blow, but it was because of her that he no longer existed. Well, not to them at least.

" _Shhhh….. Don't wake up just yet, bella. I have so many wonderfully delicious nightmares I want to share with you…"_

Ice cold fingers pressed against her temples as the specter laughed maliciously.

* * *

A/N: Our poor babies, they just can't ever catch a break! A little tidbit about me, I had a terrible fear of driving when I was pregnant with my first child. Actually, it was a fear of travel in general, but driving was awful for me since I still had to get around town some way or another. So Mari's meltdown was modeled after my own fear (except my then-husband wasn't nearly as understanding as our dear Adrien was). PS - My fear was totally justified: I was six months pregnant with my second child, with a sleeping baby in the backseat, when I was rear ended at a dead stop by a person going sixty miles an hour. To say I was slightly unhappy would be a gross understatement =P I'm hoping to have the next chapter out in half the amount of time, I've already gotten part of it written!


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